Promise of the Heart
by lonely-Umbreon455
Summary: When he was younger, he'd made a promise that was important not only to Hayato, but to himself as well. Now as he watches her, he can't help but think this promise is impossible to keep. OCxOC, slight Itachi/Hana and others; rated M because I'm paranoid
1. Meeting You

**Ah, the sequel has arrived! I've got the story planned out for the most part, but I'm up for any suggestions. I won't guarantee that they'll be used, but any input from the readers is appreciated. I don't know how often I'll be updating this story since I've got another one going on at the moment as well as plans for future fanfics. I've got the layout of an Itachi/Hana high school fanfic swimming around in my brain along with others. Anyway, hope you enjoy this story just as much if not more than the prequel.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or any of the characters.**

**Claimer: I do own Hideo, Hayato, Sorami, Akari, and other OCs.**

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**Meeting You**

Someone once said that a baby is born with a need to be loved-and never grows out of it. (1) There're always people to give that love too. Babies change the lives of those around them drastically which is about to happen at Konoha Hospital.

At the moment, a dark haired man waits outside a delivery room for his best friend and his wife to have their first child. Beside the man sits his own wife whose belly is swollen with their second child which they expect to be born in a couple months. Due to her condition, the couple's son sits on his father's lap. The two year old is clueless as to what is going on as yells come from within the delivery room.

"Sorami is proving to be more of a hassle than I thought possible," Uchiha Hana murmurs.

"Hn," comes the reply from her husband. "I recall you being much worse though."

The comment earns him a glare which Itachi calmly ignores as he focuses on their baby, Hideo. Hideo is looking around the hospital with watchful eyes as he takes in everything. He tilts his head at the medics that pass by in curiosity. Itachi ruffles the baby's black hair causing Hideo to squirm in his lap slightly so he can look up at his father.

"I can't believe Genma and Shizune aren't here yet. Genma is Hayato's cousin for heaven's sake," Hana says when Sorami suddenly stops yelling. "The baby's finally been born," the vet announces unnecessarily.

"Papa, Mama," Hideo utters quietly causing the adults to look down at him. "Why we here?" The two year old is learning quickly and is already able to form sentences at his age.

"You'll see Hideo-chan," Hana says with a smile. Her son pouts slightly before quickly making his face as impassive as his father's.

The door to Sorami's room opens and a medic sticks their head out. He says it's all right to see the baby now and the three Uchiha enter just as Hayato carefully places a pink bundle in Sorami's arms. The ANBU grins at his daughter with adoration in his eyes.

Hideo tilts his head in wonder upon seeing the pink thing in Sorami's arms. As Itachi walks closer, the little Uchiha gets a better look at the new baby. He giggles and claps cheerfully now that he sees her clearly.

The baby yawns and opens her eyes which are blue like her mother's while she gets her brown hair from her father. She blinks up at everyone standing around the bed. Itachi places Hideo on the bed and watches his son slowly crawl over to the baby to get a better look.

"So, does she have a name yet?" Hana asks with a smile.

Hayato grins and nods feverishly. "Everyone, this is Akari-chan."

Hideo looks up at Hayato when he hears the name. He repeats it quietly under his breath then turns back to Akari when she starts making noise. The toddler leans closer slightly only for Akari to accidentally hit him in the face when she waves her arms. The hit causes Hideo to fall back on his butt and his response is to blink in surprise.

"Damn Itachi. Your kid's only 2 and he's already learning not to show emotion!" Hayato exclaims causing Sorami to swat his arm for his choice of language.

"Bad word Hayato-san," Hideo scolds as he crosses his arms.

Hayato bends down to look the baby in the eyes. "Oi, what are you, my mother?"

Hideo gives him a glare that he's often seen his father use on the brunette. It isn't nearly as effective, but it does catch the ANBU off guard.

Itachi chuckles quietly to himself before speaking. "The baby's beautiful."

Hana scoffs and crosses her arms. "Jeez Itachi, you sound like you care more about Hayato and Sorami's baby than you do ours."

The prodigy glances over at his pregnant wife before rolling his eyes and addressing Hayato teasingly. "What're you going to do when she grows up and starts having boyfriends?"

A frown appears on the brunette's face for a moment before he grins widely. "I'll castrate them."

At this, Sorami covers her face with a free hand and shakes her head while Hana smacks the ANBU in the back of the head. Hayato rubs his head then picks up Hideo who appeared extremely confused by the threat the brunette made.

"Or I could just have Hideo take care of it for me," he states.

Hideo looks down at Akari then back up to Hayato. "But I don't know her."

"You will," Hayato replies bluntly.

The small Uchiha peers at the pink bundle once more. She's staring back at him with an almost awed expression.

"What're you doing Hideo-chan?" the vet asks noticing her son's gaze.

"I like her eyes," he mutters as his cheeks become a bit red in embarrassment.

Itachi smiles slightly to himself before taking Hideo from Hayato's arms. As he does this, Hana comes around to Sorami and whispers in her ear. Both husbands quirk an eyebrow at their wives' antics.

"What?" Hayato asks.

They merely shake their heads in response. Itachi notices a strange expression on Hideo's features as his son looks between Hana and Akari.

"Hideo?" the prodigy says causing the child's attention to snap up to him. Itachi raises an eyebrow and Hideo understands that his father is questioning his behavior.

"Sorami-san had big tummy like Mama," Hideo says in confusion. From the corner of his eye, Itachi can see Hana twitch slightly at the words 'big tummy.' "Then Akari came and tummy went away. Akari was in her tummy?"

Itachi nods and Hideo bites his lip in worry. "Then how Hoshi get in Mama's tummy? Did Mama eat her?"

Hayato chokes on his spit at the question as Hana's face grows incredibly red. Itachi is stunned by his son's inquiry. The boy is merely two and he's already starting to breach the subject of where babies come from. Itachi stares at the boy whose expression shows concern for his unborn sister.

Clearing his throat, the sharingan user answers the question. "You don't need to worry about that Hideo. Mama didn't eat Hoshi."

So the prodigy didn't really answer the little Uchiha's question, but Hideo understands that he won't get an actual response anyway so he drops it. The four adults in the room breathe a sigh of relief. The child is exceptionally bright and his intuitiveness is something that keeps the grown ups on their toes.

Itachi lifts Hideo so the boy is sitting on his shoulders. His tiny hands grasp the prodigy's hair to prevent himself from falling despite Itachi's secure hold.

"We'll leave the three of you in peace now," Itachi states. "Give you some time alone with Akari before Genma and Shizune get here."

The Tsuki both nod in response and Itachi exits with Hideo riding on his shoulders and Hana behind him. They walk out of the hospital side by side and go through the village towards the Uchiha compound. About halfway home, the grip on Itachi's hair loosens slightly and Hideo slumps against his father's head.

Hana looks over at the two to discover Hideo has fallen asleep. His mouth is hanging open a bit and some drool can be seen at the corner. His dark hair moves due to a breeze and he shifts, closing his mouth which Itachi is incredibly grateful for. He would really prefer not to have baby drool in his hair.

Making their way through the compound, they spot Sasuke outside with Ryuu. The clan leader is holding up his heir so his feet dangle as the baby tries to walk over to his uncle, aunt, and cousin. Deciding to make a quick stop, the trio goes over to them.

"Having some trouble little brother?" Itachi questions as they near the Uchiha.

Sasuke responds with a glare. "Tsk, I'm not having trouble. Sakura is working at the hospital again. She left me with Ryuu and somehow he keeps getting into my weapons pouch."

Hana and Itachi take notice of the cuts in Sasuke's clothing and slightly disheveled appearance. From what the Uchiha has said, they were most likely created by stray kunai or shuiken that the infant had found.

"That sounds like trouble to me," Itachi mentions.

The family exchanges a few more words before parting ways. Entering their house, the Haimaru Triplets greet them with wagging tails. On Itachi's head, Hideo shifts and his eyes flutter open.

Hana smiles at her still drowsy son and reaches up to take him off Itachi's shoulders. The vet rubs Hideo's back as he snuggles into her. Walking down the hall to Hideo's room, Hana places him in his bed and tucks him in. She strokes his head before placing a gentle kiss on his forehead.

Turning around she discovers Itachi leaning against the doorframe. Her husband's face is impassive and one of his hands is stuffed in the pocket of his pants. The woman passes him only for him to grab her wrist and lead her to the living room. He takes a seat on the couch and pulls her down to sit beside him.

The couple is quiet and merely enjoys one another's company. Hana is leaning against Itachi's shoulder as one of his arms wraps around her waist, pulling her as close as possible.

"A few more months," Hana murmurs as she places a hand on her large stomach.

"Aa."

A comfortable silence falls upon the two again before Itachi addresses something. "What were you whispering to Sorami about earlier?"

Hana grins widely at this, showing of her sharp canines. "You'll see."

Itachi raises an eyebrow at this. "This wouldn't have to do with another matchmaking attempt would it?"

The smile on the vet's face falters for a moment. "So what if it is?"

Itachi inwardly sighs. "Let Hideo and Akari be. Their relationship must develop on its own into what is best for them. If that means they become best friends or grow up to despise each other than that's the way things go. Whatever happens happens."

"Fine," his wife mutters unwillingly. "But they'd be so cute together."

"You can't possibly know that."

"Like hell I can't," Hana states causing Itachi to look at her oddly. "It's a little something called mother's intuition, you weasel," she growls slightly as she crosses her arms.

"Well, your so called mother's intuition means nothing if Hayato follows through with his threat to castrate any boy that dates his daughter in the future," the prodigy reasons smugly. "No male is dumb enough to attempt dating Akari when the possibility of losing an important part of their anatomy is at such a great risk."

Hana smirks at her husband as she comes up with a response. "Are you saying that the son of Uchiha Itachi would fall victim to an idiot like Hayato?"

"That's not what I said," he replies in a bored tone. "If anything, Hideo will end up using his superior intelligence, which he acquired from me, to get on Hayato's good side then make a move when the time is right." Itachi pauses for a moment then continues. "I honestly don't understand why we're discussing this. Akari was born just a few hours ago and her life is already being planned out for her."

Hana is about to argue when Itachi shoots her a look.

"Although Hideo may have said he liked her eyes, it means nothing. He is still very young and he can't possibly develop those sorts of feelings," he states. "Besides, Uchiha have been known for seeming completely emotionless. He may never actually allow anyone to become close to him at all."

Hana hugs Itachi tightly at this. "He won't have the same childhood as you, Itachi. We aren't going to force him to excel as your father had done to you. Hideo-chan has received an Uchiha's brains, but that doesn't mean he'll be emotionally stunted. After all, Hideo-chan has Inuzuka blood as well."

Itachi smirks and glances down at the vet. "Hn…hopefully, he hasn't inherited your temper."

Deciding to ignore the comment, Hana sighs and gets comfortable once more. Whistling, Itachi calls the dogs that appear in an instant. Motioning with his head, he tells them to watch Hideo and the dogs leave the room to guard the little Uchiha sleeping soundly in his room.

Because of his desire to assure the safety of his wife and child, the prodigy has the Haimaru Triplets guard the house. The people of the village are aware of Itachi's power and would be foolish to attempt to attack any member of the Uchiha clan. Still, Itachi doesn't wish to take a chance and end up losing the family he cherishes so much.

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**(1) This is an actual quote by Frank A. Clark. I just wanted to give credit to the right people and let you know that I didn't come up with it.**

**As a side note, Akari means light/brightness while Hoshi means star. Remember, reviews are always appreciated. Think of the 3 Cs. Compliments, Complaints, and Comments.**


	2. A Partner for His Promise

**OH MY GOD!! -bangs head on table repeatedly before flipping it- I just took my AP test for history yesterday. I was feeling good on the multiple choice, but then it happened…the essay portion began. -gets in fetal position on the floor and repeatedly mumbles 'find a happy place' to self- It was horrible. If I don't get at least a 3, I'll have taken the whole course for nothing! Right now, my fate lies in God's hands. -tears- The test was over 3 hours long. At least I got to go home right afterwards at around 12:15 since the whole class was excused from school the rest of the day.**

**Oh, I made a mistake in the last chapter. I accidentally said Akari's eyes were "green like her mother's," but Sorami has blue eyes. My bad. I fixed it though and I just wanted to let you know.**

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**A Partner for His Promise**

Hideo looks around the room and nods in approval at his work. Everything's ready and only one thing is missing. The little Uchiha looks behind him and frowns when he doesn't see anything.

"Toshi," the four year old calls. There's no response.

The boy exits the room and looks down the hallway. "Toshio!"

Hideo continues to call the name as he walks throughout the house. When he sees his baby sister, the boy crouches in front of her. "Hoshi, have you seen Toshio?"

Hoshi blinks at him with brown eyes in response. The two-year-old's dark brown, almost black hair hangs around her shoulders. The baby girl finally shakes her head 'no' and goes back to drinking from her sippy cup. Her expression says she wants to roll her eyes at him, but is refraining. Hideo gives Hoshi a glare at this.

"Don't glare at your sister Hideo," Hana scolds from behind him.

The boy starts and Hoshi shoots him a smirk that their mother doesn't see. Despite how strong the urge is, the older of the Uchiha children prevents himself from glaring again and peers over his shoulder sheepishly.

"I'm looking for Toshi. Have you seen…" he tries to ask hopefully, only for Hana to shake her head before he can finish.

"Sorry, I haven't."

Hideo frowns once more before standing to continue looking around. Suddenly, he spots something midnight blue under the couch. Hideo grins to himself as he walks over to the couch.

"Toshi!"

The puppy tries to scurry away, but Hideo quickly grabs him. Hana enters the room with Hoshi on her hip just in time to witness her son pulling his new puppy out from under the couch. Toshi fidgets in the boys arms as Hideo carries him down the hall. The puppy's fur is a deep blue with white markings on his muzzle that go down his throat and stomach. His paws are also white along with the under part of his tail.

Hana raises an eyebrow at the child and follows him as he brings his puppy into a room. She adjusts Hoshi to assure she's secure as Hideo shuts the door and places his puppy on the floor. Toshio bolts over to the door, only to discover his means of escape are blocked off. The four year old Uchiha laughs at Toshio before stripping himself down. Then he picks up the dog and carries him over to the water filled bathtub. As she watches, Hana feels a bit sorry for the puppy whose tail is tucked between his legs.

"Hideo-chan, I don't think Toshi likes that," she warns.

"But Toshi is all dirty and people are coming over. He needs to be clean Kaasan," Hideo argues as he drops the dog in the tub.

Toshio's ears droop sadly since he lost his fight. When Hideo gets in after the dog, Hana would swear that the dog glared at his human partner for making him get wet. Hana sighs as Hideo starts scrubbing himself as well as his puppy down. She adjusts Hoshi on her hip and leaves the bathroom.

Placing her daughter on the floor, the vet leaves her to the protective eyes of the Haimaru Triplets as she looks out the window. Itachi should be home from his mission soon. He left a few days ago with Hayato and will be back shortly. The brunette ANBU member had agreed to come see Hideo's new puppy with Sorami and their children once he and Itachi returned.

After a while, Hideo is dressed and Toshio is dry. It isn't long after that when the front door opens and Itachi enters with the Tsuki family close behind. In Hayato's arms is Kane. Although he's only a year old, his head is full of spiky, black hair that's so messy that it appears as if he'd just had a training session with his father. Meanwhile, his younger twin sister, Suzume is with their mother. Her hair is dark brown with natural light brown highlights. While the older of the twins has dark blue eyes, the little girl's eyes are brown.

The oldest of the three Tsuki children, Akari, is sitting on Hayato's shoulders. The ANBU is holding the baby with one hand and keeping his daughter secure with the other. Handing Kane off to Hana for a moment, Hayato lets Akari down which she responds to by grabbing his pants as she looks up at the adults towering over her.

The group goes to take seats in the living room just as Hideo hurries in with Toshio. The four year old grins as he holds his partner up to the guests.

"I finally got my dog Hayato-san!" the little Uchiha declares happily.

The older nods in approval as he observes the puppy. "This is a good dog you've got here," he says, causing Hideo to blush slightly at the compliment. "What's his name?"

"Toshio or Toshi," Hideo responds proudly.

"He'll obey either?" Hayato questions.

The little boy nods before commenting. "Unless it's bath time. Then he'll hide under the couch or something," he mentions after remembering the issue not much earlier.

Hayato chuckles as Hideo puts his partner down to greet his father. The boy bows respectfully and says "Hello Tousan."

Hayato frowns slightly at how formal Hideo is towards his father. He greets him like a stranger and he finds it disturbing. Itachi waves Hideo over and the boy allows a smile as he approaches. Hayato finds relief when the fellow ANBU picks Hideo up and holds him close as the boy wraps his arms around his father's neck. Perhaps he'd been wrong. Perhaps the boy was merely showing respect and was instinctively expressing as little emotion as possible after witnessing Itachi do it repeatedly. From what he's witnessing, the bond between Itachi and Hideo seems comfortable and loving. They just have trouble showing it. Maybe it's something inherited by all Uchiha.

"I missed you, Tousan. Kaasan did too," he says before pulling away. "Do you have to leave again soon?"

"Maybe," Itachi replies. "It's necessary as a shinobi. I go on missions to protect the village and the people important to me."

Hideo nods in understanding before slipping off the prodigy's lap and getting grabbed by Hoshi and Akari. The girls tug on the boy's clothes as they beg him to play with them. He quietly agrees, but Hayato quickly calls him before he ventures to far. Hideo comes to stand before the ANBU with curiosity in his eyes.

"You're going to grow up and become a fine shinobi, Hideo. You'll receive missions just like us that Toshi will complete alongside you. Your father goes on missions to protect those he cares for," he begins. "Akari is very important to me and I don't want anything bad to happen to her. Will you make sure she's safe and doesn't get hurt? Do you accept that as a mission for the time being?"

Hideo gives a tiny nod before leaving the room. At this, Itachi turns to Hana with a smirk. "So you missed me."

The vet gives her husband's pony tail a tug then crosses her arms over her chest. Sorami notices her own husband roll his eyes at the antics of the other couple.

The adults continue to converse and not long after, Hideo returns with a small kunai in his hand. Hayato briefly wonders why the child has a kunai to begin with as Hideo comes to stand before him again. The man is startled when the little Uchiha lifts the weapon and makes a small cut on his hand. Blood covers Hideo's palm as he holds his hand out to the bewildered Hayato.

"I promise I'll protect Akari and keep her safe from danger," Hideo pledges.

Hayato stares at the tiny, blood covered hand for a moment before giving a small smile. Pulling out his own kunai from his weapons pack which he has yet to remove after the mission, the man cuts his own hand. Grasping the smaller hand in his larger one, their blood mixes and the promise is made.

At the pledge, Sorami sighs and heals to two hands before Hideo is finally dragged off to play with Hoshi and Akari. Toshio follows at the boy's heels, wagging his tail as he sniffs Akari to get accustom to the new scent. The moment the children are out of the room, Hana begins to scold Hayato.

"You shouldn't have agreed to Hideo's promise, Hayato. He'll need to keep it now. It's impossible for him to make a promise that big and keep it, especially at his age."

The man gives an almost sad smile as he shakes his head in disagreement. "He was willing to make a true ANBU promise at the age of four. I'm sure Itachi's taught him how serious making a promise like that is," Hayato states at he glances over at his best friend. The Uchiha nods and the brunette turns his gaze back to the vet. "Hideo isn't stupid Hana. The kid's a true Uchiha, a genius. He'd protect Akari even if I didn't take his hand. You've taught him Inuzuka loyalty and to him, we're all family. The loyalty and devotion he possesses is aimed towards us as well as Konoha."

There's a slight break in the speech before Hayato addresses something else. "And why the hell did he have a kunai to begin with? I remember warning you years ago not to give your kids weapons at such a young age."

Hana sighs as Itachi stares blankly at his friend. "After the few times he's watched me train, he wants to get into the academy as early as possible. He's asked Hana and me to help train him several times already. It's impossible to hold him back and suppress his abilities."

Hayato scoffs at the remark. "Jeez, don't you think it's a bit early to start training him to become a ninja?"

"Like me, he won't start at the academy until he's six," Itachi tells him. From there, Hana speaks. "We're just making sure he's prepared. We don't want to force so much on him all at once."

Seeing the logic, Hayato nods in understanding. Whining from Suzume draws the attention of the adults in the room.

"It's getting late," Sorami murmurs as she calms down the baby. "We should head home and put the children to bed."

Agreeing, Hayato adjusts Kane in his arms and stands along with Sorami and Hana. Itachi is about to get up as well, but Hana forces him back down. He raises an eyebrow questioningly at her.

"You just came from a mission so relax for a while," she states before leading the Tsuki to the door after Akari joins them.

After saying good-bye, the vet puts the little Uchiha to bed. Toshi hops onto Hideo's bed and the boy wraps his arms around the dog as his face cracks a small smile before he drifts off to sleep.

When Hana returns to the living room, Itachi is still sitting there. However, his head is tilted back and his eyes are closed. The vet studies her husband for a moment. Due to the fact that his eyelids are shut, Itachi misses the mischievous glint in Hana's eyes as she quietly approaches him. Her stare is fixed on his exposed neck as she smirks.

By the time Itachi realizes she's there, it's already too late. His obsidian orbs snap open when pressure is put on his lap. As Hana straddles him, she leaves feather light kisses along his throat.

Itachi's chest rumbles as he lets out a chuckle. "So you did miss me after all."

His comment is rewarded with a nip at his collarbone. Releasing a groan, Itachi grabs her and stands so she's forced to wrap her legs around him to prevent herself from falling. The prodigy allows his wife to keep remain somewhat in control as she continues her ministrations on his neck.

Carrying her to their room, Itachi lays the vet on the bed and crawls on top of her. Suddenly, she puts her hands on his shoulders and pushes him an arm's length away. A flash of confusion appears on his features to which she smirks.

Slipping out from under him, Hana grabs some sleep clothes and goes to the bathroom to change. Itachi frowns at his wife's retreating back at the realization that she'd been teasing him the whole time.

He continues to observe her when she returns. Hana ignores his stare as she gets on her side of the bed. She settles herself with her back to the prodigy.

"Good night Itachi."

Itachi represses a growl as he too lies down. He pulls her flush against him causing her to feel his problem. His hot breath is in her ear as he moves his mouth to whisper to her.

"Don't start something you can't finish Hana," he growls before licking her ear.

Shivers shoot down Hana's back as he blows lightly on her ear. His hands have begun to trail down her sides and she needs to bite her lip to prevent herself from releasing a moan.

Itachi smirks as he watches Hana's resistance crumble away. Although Hana's manipulative tendencies often frustrate him, more often than not he can eventually make her bend to his will. Not a day goes by that he isn't thankful that Hana loves him. After all, she's added excitement to his otherwise boring life.

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**I forgot to mention that this story will be jumping ahead a couple years at a time until Hideo is 20 and Akari/Hoshi are 18. There'll be a few chapters before it gets to that point though. It's a lot of time to cover and I don't have many ideas for things to occur during that time so I figured I'd just skip to important stuff that I've got planned out.**

**By the way, here are the name meanings…**

**1. Toshio-alert/genius/valued man….Toshi (alert) is a nickname**

**2. Kane-golden, a spear, beautiful fair**

**3. Suzume-sparrow**

**And for those who don't know…**

**1. Kaasan - mother**

**2. Tousan – father**

**And just remember, reviews are always appreciated!**


	3. The Past's Burden

**This is a longer one you guys. I don't really have anything to say so on with the story!**

**The Past's Burden**

Inuzuka Kiba sighs as he walks down the streets of Konoha. Beside him, his ever faithful (and large) companion, Akamaru, observes the village's inhabitants as they walk. Kiba has just finished giving the Hokage his report for his last mission with the former Team 8. He sees the Ninja Academy up ahead and silently debates whether or not he should pick up his nephew. It's not necessary from him to do so because Hideo is perfectly capable of walking home himself, but it's been a while since Kiba spent any bonding time with the boy. Then again, Tsume had told him that he needed to attend a clan meeting as soon as he returned from his mission.

As Kiba continues to debate his decision, he nears the academy. When Akamaru suddenly stops and begins growling, Kiba looks down at the dog.

"What is it Akamaru?" the Inuzuka asks as his senses go on full alert and his eyes scan the surrounding area carefully.

His partner barks a few times and takes off in the direction of the academy. Kiba immediately follows Akamaru, forgetting about his mother's meeting due to a more important matter.

Kiba's sharp sense of smell picks up traces of Hideo and Toshio's scents nearby. When his nephew is finally in sight, the man stops Akamaru and hides to observe the situation.

Hideo is not alone. Another boy who's a few years older by the looks of it is standing in front of him. At Hideo's feet, a bristling Toshi is growling and in a defensive stance. The little dog has changed slightly over the passed few years. Tied around his neck is a blue bandana with the Uchiha clan symbol sewn on it and the canine has definitely grown larger like his master has over the past couple of years.

Hideo's fists are clenched and he's shaking slightly. "Take it back," the boy demands in a threatening tone causing Kiba to wonder what the boy had said to upset his nephew so much. "You're lying."

The older boy smirks and crosses his arms over his chest. "Sorry kid, but it's true."

"You're wrong!" Hideo says as he shakes his head in denial. "You're making it all up because you're jealous."

The other boy's smirk disappears and anger takes over his face. "Why would I be jealous of a loser like you? You're never going to graduate. Why would they let the son of a traitor become a ninja?" he asks with a glare.

In a flash, Kiba is standing beside Hideo. With one hand, he's restraining Toshi who's trying to lunge at the older boy for insulting his companion. With the other, Kiba's holding onto Hideo's wrist so his nephew doesn't throw the kunai that he quickly retrieved from the holster around his thigh. Kiba glares at the older academy student as Akamaru growls menacingly in front of him.

"I'll give you five seconds to get out of my sight before I send Akamaru here after you," the Inuzuka threatens.

Panic shows on the boy's face as he turns tail and runs away, stumbling a few times in his haste. Releasing Hideo's wrist, Kiba sighs as he peers at Hideo. The boy's gaze is directed at the ground and his bangs hide his eyes. Realizing that the other student must've said more before he arrived, Kiba awkwardly crouches beside his nephew.

"Hideo, what else did he say to you?"

For a moment, there's no reply. Then, Hideo quietly responds. "He insulted Tousan. He said that I…"

Hideo trails off as he's unable to continue. Toshi licks his partner's hand in an effort to comfort him. Kiba looks to Toshi and the puppy comes closer.

"He said that Itachi-san and Hana-san never wanted him," the puppy says quietly so Hideo can't hear.

Kiba's head whips around to look in the direction the boy ran and he's disappointed to discover he's already left the vicinity. Now he really regrets not letting Akamaru loose on him.

"Why couldn't you at least let me bite him?" Toshi whines causing Kiba to let out a small chuckle.

The Inuzuka is glad that Hideo taught his puppy to talk like Tsume did with Kuromaru. The ability will be incredibly helpful should Toshi ever need to communicate with anyone besides his partner. All dog handlers can communicate with their dogs, but it's another thing for the dogs to communicate with other people.

Hideo's hold on his kunai tightens in aggravation. Kiba rests a hand on the Uchiha's shoulder and gives a comforting squeeze.

"They don't know anything," Hideo murmurs angrily. "All of them just hate me for my talent. They're just saying those things to mess with my mind so I can't concentrate. So I'm not better than them."

"Come on Hideo, I'll take you home," Kiba says as he straightens. Hideo's head shoots up to look at him.

"Why aren't you saying they're wrong?" he asks with a hint of panic in his voice that Kiba is just able to pick up.

"They are wrong, Hideo. I just figured you would prefer your parents to tell you themselves, not me."

Hideo nods although he feels uncertain about his uncle's reasoning. Seeing the nod, Kiba leads him to the Uchiha compound with their dogs walking beside them. The Inuzuka peers down at his nephew and can't help but feel sorry for the boy. He's never seen Hideo lose his cool before and he's disturbed by what the academy student had told the little Uchiha. Children can be so cruel when faced with something that doesn't please them. Honestly, he isn't surprised that some of the students decided to say such things to try and throw a better student off track. He'd seen it occur many times during his days in the academy and even as a genin.

When the pair arrives at the house, Kiba knocks on the door. After a few moments, Hana answers and grins at the sight of her younger brother and son. The smile quickly falls when she sees Hideo's angry expression though.

"Hey Neechan," Kiba says with a somewhat forced smile. He gives the boy a slight push and Hideo enters the house after quietly murmuring "Hello Kaasan."

Hideo doesn't look up at his mother as he passes her and goes straight to his room, hand still clutching the kunai from earlier. Toshi quickly bows his head respectfully before hurrying after his companion. Hana watches her son leave before addressing Kiba.

"What happened?"

"An older kid from the academy said Hideo would never be allowed to graduate because he's the son of a traitor," Kiba says sadly. "Toshi told me that before that, the kid was saying that you two never wanted Hideo in the first place. I didn't get any more than that."

Suddenly, Kiba tenses and sniffs the air. Hana peers around him as the Inuzuka glances over his shoulder to see Itachi standing behind him. The prodigy's eyes are blank, but Hana can tell that her husband is masking the hurt he's feeling at his past continues to come back and haunt him.

"Thank you for getting Hideo today, Kiba," Itachi says.

"No problem. I'm just glad I got there before Hideo got a chance to hurt the kid," Kiba replies. "More must've been said because I've never seen Hideo so upset. Like all Uchiha I've known, he's good at masking his emotions and today, I was just in time to stop him from throwing a kunai and restraining Toshio from ripping the kid to bits."

Itachi enters the house then pauses after taking a few steps inside. "I'll talk to Hideo."

With that, he leaves the siblings at the front door and walks down the hall to his son's room. On the way, Hoshi runs up to him and hugs his legs.

"Hello Tousan!" she cries cheerfully causing the Uchiha to smile softly down at her. He crouches down to her level and she wraps her arms around his neck. "Kazuki and I have been practicing for when we can finally learn Kaasan's justu. We're almost perfectly in sync!"

The ANBU knows exactly which justu Hoshi's talking about, the Beast Mimicry. Itachi gazes over Hoshi's shoulder to see her own partner sitting behind her, tail wagging happily. The puppy known as Kazuki has a dark red hue to his fur that becomes almost brown at his spine and the tips of his ears and tail. Cream colored fur covers his stomach, throat, and paws. His pointed ears twitch as his alert eyes remain on his companion.

"That's very good Hoshi-chan. I'm sure you'll learn it soon," Itachi praises as he straightens once more. "Are you excited about entering the academy soon?" he asks although he already knows the response.

She nods vigorously. Hoshi definitely received more of her mother's personality than Itachi's. "Yeah, I can't wait Tousan! Niisan said that since he would've graduated already that he'll help me train. Akari told me that Hayato-san is enrolling her in the academy too. We'll be in the same class and help each other train and stuff."

Itachi smiles and pats her head. "Why don't you go help Kaasan with dinner? You know how she can be."

Hoshi giggles at this. "Yeah, Kaasan will probably burn everything."

Itachi holds a finger to his lips and Hoshi quiets down with her cheeks slightly red in embarrassment. The two Uchiha peer down the hall and are relieved when they don't see the vet in sight. They release their held breath knowing that Hana didn't hear their jokes.

Hoshi takes off down the hall with Kazuki at her heels, leaving Itachi to return to his task of speaking with Hideo. Opening the door to the younger Uchiha's room, the prodigy enters without a word. Hideo is merely sitting on his bed, turning his kunai over in his hands as if contemplating. The eight year old doesn't respond to his father's presence until the bed dips, signifying that Itachi has taken a seat beside him.

"Hello Tousan." This is followed by silence in which Hideo shifts uncomfortably.

"How are your classes going?" Itachi asks in order to begin the conversation. He doesn't watch Hideo so as not to make the boy nervous under his gaze. He does feel him stiffen though as he hesitates to reply.

"The lessons are easy like always. I'll definitely be graduating this year," Hideo responds in a tone completely void of emotion.

"I'm sure you're happy about that," Itachi says. "Although the other students probably aren't all that pleased."

"I'm the only student my age who's going to become a genin this year. The only other students who have a chance to become genin are all twelve. They hate me for it," he murmurs. After a brief moment, Hideo adds "But I don't care. They can hate me all they like because I know they're just jealous. I just don't understand why they have to…"

Hideo trails off. Itachi glances at his son to find him gripping his kunai tightly. Hoping to make things easier for the boy, the prodigy speaks up.

"It's natural for ninja to envy another's talent. It's what drives them to become stronger. They don't hate you. They're just still too young to accept that there're people out there that are better than they are." After saying this, Itachi briefly recalls having a similar conversation with Sasuke when they were younger. At least this one won't have the same result.

"They call you a traitor," Hideo mutters. "They said that as your punishment for betraying Konoha, you and Kaasan were ordered to have me. They say that you regret ever having me and never wanted me in the first place."

Itachi's gut twists in anger, but he suppresses it and remains calm to continue on with the conversation. "Children can be cruel when they don't particularly like something. They'll say things that are upset to a more skilled and intelligent child in order to give themselves a boost."

"Aren't you going to say they're lying?"

Itachi closes his eyes for a moment. "Hideo, Kaasan and I love you. No matter what anyone else says, remember that. We'd never regret having either you or your sister." After pausing briefly, Itachi stands then says "I'll be right back."

Hideo looks up and watches him leave. Something hits his feet and the boy glances down to see Toshio crawling out from under the bed.

"I told you that you should just ignore them. Calling Itachi-san a traitor when he's better than all of their fathers combined," the puppy boasts in an effort to cheer up his still upset partner.

Hideo offers a small smile and tosses his kunai at Toshi. The puppy easily catches the weapon between his teeth and the duo wait patiently for the ANBU member to return. They don't wait long because soon, Itachi returns with something in his hand. He comes to stand before the boy who gazes up at him in wonder.

"I got this after I joined the Akatsuki. It was a long time ago and I had been extremely foolish. I accidentally killed my best friend and gained the Mangekyou Sharingan," Itachi states with an emotion Hideo hears for the first time: regret.

The eldest Uchiha hands the object between his fingers to Hideo. The boy looks at the ring with the symbol for crimson on it. As Hideo studies the ring, Itachi continues. "This rare Sharingan took control over me and I wiped out everyone in the clan with the exception of my little brother, your uncle. After that I left the village and did many other horrible things. I even went after a few Jinchurriki including Uzumaki Naruto."

Hideo gapes at this. "Uzumaki Naruto. You mean the sixth Hokage!"

The ANBU nods solemnly. "Yes, our very own Rokudaime. Thankfully I failed and was able to regain control. I returned to the village and only a few people welcomed me back. I was put on probation and one of the demands was to have a child to rebuild the Uchiha clan. It wasn't a punishment though because Kaasan and I were going to have you anyway. I did betray Konoha, but I never actually intended to. That's why I was allowed to return. I guess not everyone knows the exact story or has accepted that I'm back. I'm sorry that my past is affecting you this way."

The black haired child stands and wraps his arms around his father (albeit awkwardly since Uchiha don't often display such affection) in an effort to ease the pain he knows is just below the surface. "It's all right Tousan. I understand now. I know you're not the traitor some people may call you. You're even more loyal to Konoha than they are."

Itachi smiles softly at his son's words. He places a hand on Hideo's head and ruffles his soft, black hair. Hideo hands back the ring then asks "Why do you still have your ring if you're no longer a member of the Akatsuki, Tousan?"

Itachi raises an eyebrow at the boy's curiosity before replying. "No matter how much I wish it wasn't, it's a part of my past. It serves as a reminder for all the bad I've done. In a way, it's my own punishment that I've given myself."

Hideo nods in understanding then looks down at Toshi. The dog still has Hideo's kunai held carefully between his teeth.

"If you aren't busy Hideo," Itachi begins, drawing the boy's attention again. "We could go out to the pier where I could teach you another fire style jutsu."

Again, Hideo responds with a nod accompanied by a small smile. He's reverting back to his quiet self, a habit most Uchiha pick up. As the two exit the house, Itachi goes over in his head what techniques Hideo hasn't learned yet. He remembers a more difficult one and knows that no matter how talented the boy is, it'll take a while for him to master it. It'll definitely keep him busy for a while, but may prove useful on challenging missions.

After showing Hideo the proper hand signs a few times to ensure he remembers them, Itachi gives a brief explanation how to perform the Dragon Flame Projectile.

"Don't get frustrated if you find yourself struggling with this one. Although it's much like the Fireball Jutsu in which you draw chakra from your mouth to your chest then hold it before you breathe it out to perform the jutsu, it's far more difficult for you to learn since your still only an academy student," the prodigy states. "I don't expect you to master it in a week or months from now. You don't have the chakra reserves in order to perform this jutsu. It may even take years for you to succeed."

Hideo looks down at Toshi who appears just as confused as he feels. The boy looks out at the water for a moment before saying anything. "Tousan, if you know I won't be able to succeed for possibly a few years, why are you showing me?"

"Because it'll help you in your training. By showing you this technique, you'll understand how complicated some jutsu are and how much hard work is required to achieve your goals. This will also help you build up your chakra reserves if you don't continuously push yourself to your limits so you end up in the hospital due to chakra depletion."

Itachi glances at Hideo and sees comprehension in the boy's eyes. With that, the Uchiha makes the necessary hand signs then breathes out the chakra. A large jet of fire shoots across the lake from Itachi's mouth.

Turning around, Itachi peers at his son's face. The boy is attempting to remain impassive, but the shock is clear in his eyes. He's yet to learn how to guard his eyes so enemy ninja can't pick up on his feelings. In battle, emotions are a ninja's weakness, but since Hideo's still only eight, Itachi understands that it's difficult. It's unrealistic to ask a child to do away with sentiments such as happiness, excitement, and anger like Uchiha Fugaku had done to him so many years ago. The last thing Itachi wants is for his relationship with his son to end up as strained as him and his own father's.

"Give it a try."

At the sound of Itachi's voice, Hideo's eyes snap over to meet his father. The older of the two gives a slight nod of encouragement and Hideo takes a few steps closer to the edge of the pier. The boy makes the hand signs then takes a deep breath. When he releases it, a little stream of fire comes out of his mouth about two feet. He frowns as Toshi starts laughing somewhere behind him.

"I told you. It's harder than it looks," Itachi says in encouragement.

To the prodigy, this is strange behavior compared to his normal indifference. It had taken a lot of help from Hana for the Uchiha to find the emotions he'd locked away so long ago. Some had awoken after each of their children was born as if they were tied to instinct. Itachi had also swore to himself that he wouldn't treat his children as his father had done to him and Sasuke so that promise is pushing him to make attempts to behave as a real father should.

Placing a hand on the eight-year-old's shoulder, Itachi suggests they go back to the house to eat. Agreeing, the two head back home where Hoshi greets them with a grin. She repeatedly asks her older brother to help her with her training to which the boy replies with "after dinner."

Once the family has eaten their meal, the siblings go out to the backyard where Hideo coaches Hoshi in throwing different weapons properly. The two canines observe them calmly as they lounge on the porch.

Meanwhile, Hana and Itachi remain sitting at the table in silence as they sip their tea. The vet observes her husband who doesn't acknowledge her stare.

"Could you say something already?" Hana asks with an exasperated sigh. "How was your talk with Hideo?"

Itachi shifts his gaze to her almost lazily. "Fine. There shouldn't be anymore problems."

The woman raises an eyebrow in suspicion. "You didn't say you'd 'take care' of everything, did you?"

"No Hana. I don't intend to kill every child who brings up the things I've done in the past. I merely meant that Hideo understands the situation he's in. He won't let it bother him as much."

Hana frowns at this. "What do you mean by 'as much'?"

"You can't expect Hideo to completely ignore the taunts of his comrades. He will stick up for the clan's honor should he need to," Itachi explains. "He's proud of his heritage and won't let anyone show any disrespect."

Hana nods and turns her gaze to the cup of tea in her hands. "Hayato asked if we can watch their children this weekend. He and Sorami have a short mission."

"Aa."

His response makes her roll her eyes although a smile plays on her lips. "I'll let them know tomorrow then."

* * *

**Yeah, not a very good ending but what can you do? Sometimes you just can't tie it all up at the end. Just because I like letting knowing the meaning of all the names, I'll share meanings with you guys. Kazuki means ****_pleasant peace _****or ****_shining one._**** Please review. I'll try to update as soon as I can.**

* * *


	4. Teammates and Caring

**Man, my chapters are starting to get longer than I intended. Usually, I average six pages in MS Word, but the last two chapters have been eight pages. I've been throwing additional stuff in with my original plans to make the chapters longer and I end up writing a lot. Whatever, I'm sure you guys don't really mind. –laughs-**

* * *

**Teammates and Caring**

Hoshi stares up at her brother in awe as he adjusts his new headband. He's officially a genin now with a squad of his own. Beside Hideo is Toshio who too is sporting his own headband around his neck in the place of the bandana. The plate with the leaf symbol is in the front and hanging from that is a small Uchiha clan emblem. Toshi's old bandana has been given to Hoshi as a gift from her older brother for Kazuki to wear.

Behind the older Uchiha are his teammates, both twelve and therefore, four years Hideo's senior. The older of the two, Norio, is standing beside Kanae, the female member of the team. Norio's messy hair is black with a dark purplish tinge and his eyes are a silvery color. Although he's a more reserved individual than Kanae, Norio is more social than his Uchiha comrade and his tan complexion contradicts Hideo's paleness. Kanae, on the other hand, has dark blue hair that is pulled back in a messy bun with two free locks framing her face. The dark blue hair goes well with her matching color eyes. Her skin is like a bridge between the extremes of her teammates. **(Okay, they aren't really extremes, but it sounds good) **However, its cream color leans more towards Hideo's pale features than Norio's darker skin tone. The two stopped by to pick up Hideo before they meet their sensei, Tatami Iwashi, for their first mission as a genin squad.

"Aniki, you promised you'd watch me train today," Hoshi complains as her partner, Kazuki, whimpers for additional effect.

"Hoshi, I'll watch later. Right now I have to go on a mission and you're going to make us late," Hideo tries to explain for the umpteenth time as he casts an anxious glance over his shoulder. Norio appears to be waiting impatiently to get moving and Hideo doesn't want to get off on the wrong foot with his teammates. Ninja utilize teamwork on missions and if Hideo and his comrades don't have a good relationship, it could result in the failure of a mission or even worse, their deaths.

From out of the house, Hayato appears. He'd come over earlier to help set everything up for when his kids come over for the weekend. The ANBU member comes to stand beside Hoshi and places a hand on her head.

"Hoshi, your brother is a shinobi now. He's got responsibilities he needs to take care of," Hayato says with a laugh. "He'll have time to watch you when he gets back."

"Hurry up Hideo! Iwashi-sensei isn't going to be happy if we're late," Norio calls to the eight-year-old.

Kanae elbows the older boy in the ribs. "I think it's cute how close they are."

Norio rolls his eyes at her. "Of course you do. You think anything involving Hideo is cute."

The girl shoots him a glare as she walks over to Hayato and the two Uchiha. She crouches down to Hoshi's level and smiles at her as she speaks.

"Hoshi-chan, we really need your brother's help. If he doesn't come with us, we'll all get in a lot of trouble. I promise we'll return him in time to help you with your training."

Hideo scoffs at the comment and crosses his arms to display his irritation. She's making him sound like an object much to his displeasure.

Hoshi takes what Kanae has said into consideration before reluctantly agreeing to let her older brother leave. Beaming, Kanae grabs hold of Hideo and drags the younger boy over to Norio. Finally, the trio heads off to their meeting place to begin their mission with their sensei.

When they arrive at their destination, they get there a little earlier than they expected and Iwashi is nowhere to be seen. With nothing else to do, all they can do is wait for him to show up. Hideo finds a spot under a nearby tree and takes a seat with Toshio lying beside him. A moment later, Kanae joins him and he finds himself slightly uncomfortable with her proximity. Yet, he says nothing and merely scratches Toshi behind the ears.

"You forgot your lunch Hideo," Kanae says disturbing Hideo's thoughts. The amusement is clear in her voice, but Hideo chooses to ignore it and just shrugs.

"If you don't eat anything, you'll regret it. I guess I could always give you some of mine since I packed a lot," she offers kindly.

Hideo turns and stares at her. She shifts nervously under the younger boy's gaze and he thinks her sees a tinge of red on her cheeks. He finds this a little odd, but remains quiet about it. After all, he sometimes feels uncomfortable under the gaze of his father and wouldn't be surprised (although he wouldn't be pleased by this fact) if his face appeared like Kanae's does now. Perhaps his stare is sort of intimidating.

"Why are you always so nice to me?" Hideo suddenly murmurs.

Kanae seems surprised by the question, but quickly recovers with a smile and response. "Why shouldn't I be? We need to watch out for each other not only because we're teammates, but also because we're friends."

"Friends?" Hideo utters as if unsure what the word means. Of course he does know, he just didn't expect Kanae to use the word since they rarely spoke to each other back at the Ninja Academy.

The Uchiha looks up at her and she slings an arm over his shoulder to pull him closer. "You can be so funny sometimes, Hideo-kun." The way she says his name causes him to blush despite how hard he tries to suppress it. "You behave so awkwardly as if you're afraid of what we think of you."

"I'm not afraid," Hideo murmurs in protest.

He glances over at Norio who's chuckling at the scene. The older boy walks over to join the two and takes a seat next to Toshi on the other side of Hideo.

"Don't worry Hideo. We're not like those jerks from the academy. Sure I'm jealous of your skill, but who isn't! Still we understand and support you," Norio says in encouragement.

Kanae ruffles Hideo's raven hair, making it appear even messier. "You really need to smile more, Hideo-kun. Maybe Norio and I need to give you some lessons in smiling!" she jokes.

Allowing his curiosity to get the better of him, Hideo asks another question. "Kanae, why do you add the suffix to my name, but not Norio's?"

Kanae fidgets and Norio turns his head away as if he doesn't want to hear the conversation.

"I…um…I guess I'm more affectionate with you because you're younger," she replies. "I guess that isn't really fair though, huh Norio-kun?"

Norio snaps his head in Kanae's direction and the surprise that she actually called him that is clear on his face for a brief moment. Then comprehension starts to set in and the older boy blushes before turning away again.

As Kanae laughs and teases the embarrassed Norio, Hideo catches a familiar flicker of charka nearby. Since he's (still) currently being held in place by his female teammate, Hideo nudges Toshio with his foot. The dog looks at him lazily.

The Uchiha gestures with his head to the road on the left and Toshio rises. Feeling Hideo's movement, Kanae stops bothering Norio and the two observe what the younger member of their squad is up to. They watch as Toshio's ears swivel around as he sniffs the air. When the dog starts barking and takes off towards the street, the two twelve year olds share a glance before checking Hideo's expression. It's impassive which doesn't really help ease their wonder although it doesn't surprise them either.

Toshi's tail wags wildly as someone calls his name. The dog leads the person over to his partner. When Toshi stops in front of Hideo and his teammates, the person grins at Hideo as she pets the dog.

"Hello Akari-chan," Hideo greets before glancing up from his spot to see Sorami coming closer. He greets her as well.

"Hideo-kun, I can't believe you're a genin already!" Akari exclaims. "Do you think Hoshi-chan and I will become genin as fast as you?"

"I don't know. It depends on how hard you work," the boy responds.

The six year old nods in understanding before giving Toshio a hug. "I have to go, but we'll spend time together this weekend." Waving a quick good-bye, Akari hurries over to Sorami and the two continue what they were doing earlier.

Kanae giggles, causing Hideo to glare at her before getting out of her grip.

"Why are you laughing?" he asks the girl. She smiles at him, but doesn't answer his question. Hoping for better results, Hideo turns to Norio. "Why is she laughing?"

The older boy shrugs. "Who knows? Girls are just weird like that."

Kanae reaches around Hideo and smacks her friend in the back of the head as punishment for the comment. The two start bickering and Hideo slips away so he's no longer caught in the middle.

A few minutes later, Iwashi arrives and briefs the team on their first mission. Like all beginning genin squads, it's a D-rank mission that's purpose is to build teamwork skills as well as a ninja's experience. They usually involve hard work and manual labor around the community. For this mission, the team must fix up a house including pull weeds, pick up all the trash, and give the house a new paint job.

Immediately, Norio and Kanae begin complaining about how they're full-fledged ninja now and should be doing something important. Meanwhile Hideo remains quiet and doesn't question his sensei's sanity like his louder comrades. Awadhi manages to silence the arguing of the two older genin and the group heads off to complete their assignment. As they work, Norio and Kanae wear scowls to display their obvious displeasure.

When lunch time rolls around, Kanae is true to her word and offers Hideo some of her lunch which he reluctantly accepts. Not wanting either to be too hungry, Norio finds himself sharing his food as well. Several hours later, the mission has been completed and the squad is worn out. Iwashi dismisses them, but not before he reminds them that they'll all meet at their gathering place tomorrow morning to train.

Iwashi is gone in a poof of smoke, leaving the genin to walk home. The trio venture down the paths that will lead them home and stop when they need to go their separate ways. The Uchiha compound is to the right while Norio and Kanae live somewhere to the left.

"Are you sure you don't want us to walk you home, Hideo-kun?" Kanae asks the younger boy.

Hideo stuffs his hands in his pockets and gives the sternest look he can manage. "I can walk home on my own, Kanae."

"But it's a long way and you'll be all alone. Don't you want company?"

Hideo shakes his head as he places a hand on his canine companion's head. "I've got Toshi and I'm a ninja. I'll be fine. You guys shouldn't have to go out of your way. Just go home and get some rest for tomorrow."

Kanae sighs before turning back to Norio. They all wave good-bye and head off in opposite directions. Hideo's lips twitch slightly in amusement when he hears the distant arguing of his teammates behind him as they make their way home.

Arriving at his house, Hideo greets his parents and little sister before heading to his room. Slowly, he removes his weapons pack and holster before collapsing on his bed. Jumping up to lay beside him, Toshio sniggers at his partner's behavior.

Moments later, Hoshi enters her brother's room, demanding he spend time with her like he promised. Sighing, the raven haired boy rises and takes his sister into the backyard. There, he watches her techniques and offers bits of advice where necessary. Meanwhile, Hoshi's puppy is feinting and trying to pounce on Toshio. The two dogs roughhouse while their companions continue practicing.

Before long, the family has eaten dinner and the Tsuki are dropping off their kids. As the adults talk over everything one more time, Hideo and Hoshi observe things from a distance. With his hands stuffed in his pockets, Hideo trains his eyes on Akari as he studies her to ensure nothing happened to her while he wasn't with her. Unfortunately, Hoshi takes notice of her brother's stare and doesn't hesitate to pester him about it.

"You know Aniki, there're rumors going around that you care more for Akari-chan than you do me. At times, your behavior leads me to think that these accusations are true," the dark haired girl says as she observes Hideo's reaction to her comments.

Hideo doesn't even refrain from rolling his eyes at what he thinks to be a stupid claim. "Don't be ridiculous. I care for her like you do."

"I know you care, but it's different from the way I care for her. I see her as the sister I never had," the girl states. Hoshi pauses briefly to contemplate something then speaks up again. "What do you see her as, Niisan?"

Choosing to ignore the question since in his opinion it doesn't deserve a response, the raven haired boy turns and walks to his room for some much needed relaxation. As Hideo walks down the hall, Toshio and Kazuki look between the two siblings. After a moment, a smug expression spreads across Toshi's features as the canine follows his companion passed the lounging Haimaru Triplets. Meanwhile the dark red puppy cocks his head in slight confusion towards the behavior of the Uchiha children.

As storm clouds roll in, the children get ready for bed. Since Hoshi and Akari are the same age, they're sharing the younger Uchiha's room with Kazuki sleeping beside Hoshi on the bed while Kane and Suzume take a guest bedroom a little further down the hall. In Hideo's room, neither the Uchiha nor his canine companion drops their guard as Toshio stations himself in the corner of the room where he can see everything clearly. Itachi and Hana stay up for a few more hours before heading off to bed as well. As the couple sleeps, the Haimaru Triplets take their normal positions around the room.

As the night goes on, raindrops start to fall and the wind picks up. The storm intensifies and around one in the morning, Akari is aroused from her slumber and a nightmare. Gripping her blankets, the girl tries to get her bearings in the dark. A flash of lightning followed by a loud boom of thunder make her cower and attempt to hide under the blankets. However as the storm rages on, the six year old only finds herself trembling slightly with fright.

Making a snap decision, Akari slips out of bed and exits the room. She walks as fast and inaudibly as possible down the hall until she's standing outside one room in particular. She hesitates, but a sudden flash of lightning makes her start and she opens the door.

At the sight of Hideo, Akari immediately begins to calm down a tad. His back is to her and he appears to be sleeping soundly. Biting her lip with uncertainty, Akari wonders if she should just forget this idea and go back to Hoshi's room. She finds her answer when a voice startles her.

"What are you doing in my room?" Hideo asks, clearly awake. He rolls over and props himself up with an elbow as he looks at her expectantly with tired eyes.

Looking at the floor in embarrassment, Akari replies. "I had a bad dream."

A sudden loud boom of thunder makes Akari jump as she emits a sound very similar to a squeak. She whimpers quietly to herself.

Keeping his promise in mind, Hideo sighs then lifts his blanket as a signal that Akari is welcome to join him. Sure the girl isn't actually in any danger, but comforting her isn't going to kill Hideo. To him, making her feel safe goes hand in hand with keeping her safe.

Understanding the gesture, Akari ventures further into the room and slips under the covers as Hideo scoots over to allow her more room. Turning his back to her, Hideo settles himself again and closes his eyes to go back to sleep.

There's another flash of lightning that illuminates the room. Eerie shadows startle Akari and the girl grips the back of Hideo's shirt as she slides over so she's pressed up against him. When Hideo shifts, Akari feels foolish as she releases her hold on his clothes and opens her mouth to apologize. She's surprised, however, when Hideo turns towards her and wraps his arms around her in a warm and protective embrace. Glancing up at the raven haired boy's face, she notices that his eyes are still closed. However, Akari can tell by the Uchiha's breathing that he hasn't fallen asleep yet.

As the rain pounds rhythmically, the storm shows no signs of stopping anytime soon. The frequent thunder and lightning is a constant reminder to Hideo of the weather not because of the noise and the fact that he can see the flashes of light through his closed eyelids, but because every time they occur, Akari flinches or makes a meek noise of fright.

The need to soothe Akari's uneasiness is like a pressure that builds in Hideo's chest. He's suddenly hit with an idea. Hana had done it a few times to him when he was younger and he'd seen his mother use the same technique on Hoshi whenever she was scared.

"Don't worry Akari-chan. I'm here so there's nothing to be afraid of," he murmurs quietly with still closed eyes.

Bending his head down slightly, Hideo doesn't realize Akari has tilted her head up to look at him. He places a feather light kiss on her forehead in an attempt to comfort her. He's so exhausted that his mind doesn't register that something bumped his nose lightly when he gave Akari the kiss.

"Hideo-kun," Akari begins only to be cut short when the Uchiha shushes her.

"Just go to sleep Akari-chan," he breathes.

The six year-old remains silent after that as she brings a hand up to touch her lips where Hideo had unintentionally kissed her. Face feeling a bit warm, Akari buries her face in Hideo's chest to guard herself from the weather. In an effort to help, Hideo brings the blanket up to cover her head and block out the storm as much as possible. Having the girl snuggle into him gives Hideo the feeling that he's needed and he smiles softly to himself. With that, the two finally drift into a peaceful slumber.

* * *

Morning arrives and the sky is clear. The only proof of the night's storm is the fact that the ground is wet from all the rain. But with morning comes a new day and before long, Hoshi is up and about. Noticing that her friend isn't in bed, the six year-old searches the house for her. When she gets to Hideo's room, she makes her presence known.

"Aniki, I can't find Akari-chan! Have you seen her?" Hoshi asks loudly.

Reluctantly, her brother cracks his eyes open. "Go look somewhere else," he grumbles in annoyance about being woken up so rudely. Hoshi huffs and walks out of the room. "And don't be so loud," Hideo says to her retreating back.

Once Hoshi's gone, the raven haired boy nudges the still sleeping girl lying beside him. The blankets were still covering Akari's head from last night, keeping her hidden from Hoshi's sight.

Not wanting to leave the warmth of Hideo's embrace, Akari groans in protest and nuzzles into Hideo's chest as she tries to stay asleep. Sighing, Hideo adjusts himself before picking Akari up and lifting her off the bed as he stands. The action causes the girl to be fully roused from her slumber as she struggles against Hideo's hold. When he releases her, Akari gives the boy a glare. It quickly dissipates, however, when she sees the ghost of a smile on Hideo's face. Hideo's smiles are so rare that Akari can't help, but feel happy seeing it and she offers her own grin in return.

She leaves the room and the two both get dressed before heading to the kitchen for breakfast. Entering the room, they're assaulted by wonderful smells of food. They say good morning to everyone as they claim seats around the table.

Upon seeing her friend, Hoshi grins widely and displays her sharp canines she inherited from her mother. The same fang-like teeth can be seen on Hideo, but they're seen as rarely as a smile shows upon the raven haired boy's face. If he doesn't smile, the only way you'd know the fangs exist is if Hideo bites you and that occurs even less frequently than he smiles. He'd have to be fighting and extremely desperate to resort to biting his opponent.

Carefully looking around the table, Hideo slips some of his breakfast to Toshio who's lying under the table by his feet. However, Kazuki notices and barks at Hoshi who then reports what her companion said to Hana. This results in the vet scolding her son as Hoshi smirks discreetly at him. The moment Hana isn't paying attention Hideo gives his sister a glare.

Once breakfast is over, Hideo gathers his things and whistles for Toshio. The dog is by his side in an instant. Bidding his family and the dogs 'farewell,' the little Uchiha heads off with Toshi to meet his team for training. His teammates and sensei notice that although he doesn't smile, Hideo's in an almost cheerful mood. Well, as cheerful as the generally stoic Uchiha can be. When they ask, he replies with a shrug and says "I'm just keeping a promise."

* * *

**Not bad if I do say so myself. I don't really have much to say here because it's late and my brain is like fried. So I just hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. Reviews are always appreciated.**


	5. Awakening

**Okay I've got a challenge for you guys just to mix things up a bit. The next chapter is already completed, but I won't post it until someone can give the correct answer to this question. I won't mention what it is until the end though.**

* * *

**Awakening**

There's a distant clang of metal that meets Hideo's ears from the spar between Norio and Kanae. His teammates have already begun their training while he has yet to engage his sensei in their own fight. Iwashi had made it clear he wanted to use today's training session to help the young Uchiha, but what he hadn't been clear about was why.

For Hideo, this doesn't really make sense. He's heard some of the older ninja mention that the Chunin exams are coming up soon. The raven haired boy is also aware that although not all of them may pass, the entire squad must enter if they are to participate. This is what is currently puzzling him. Iwashi-sensei has told him numerous times that he's advancing rapidly compared to Norio and Kanae. Yet, his teacher insisted on training with him and not the others. Shouldn't they work on the skills of the others so they'll all be able to enter the Chunin exams?

Beside the young ninja, his canine partner yawns and stretches. Hideo eyes Toshi as the dog gets comfortable in the grass and curls up to take a nap after deciding he's not needed at the moment. The midnight blue dog just barely closes his eyes when a loud voice carries over to him and Hideo.

"Damn it Norio! We're practicing ninjutsu, not taijutsu!" Hideo hears the kunochi of the squad yell at her partner. The team is separated by a small lake and although Hideo can still hear his comrades, they're out of sight.

"It's called dodging, moron!" Norio retorts. "I'm not going to let you hit me! Not that it would matter with your pathetic attacks."

Hideo represses a sigh as the two continue to bicker loudly at another part of the training field. Although Hideo is nine while they are thirteen, Norio and Kanae certainly act younger than the Uchiha. Their teamwork is average at best despite their frequent fighting so again Hideo wonders why Iwashi-sensei isn't assisting their training.

A sudden rustling in a nearby bush causes Hideo and Toshio to snap their attentions in that direction. Their dark orbs study the bush for a moment before a bird flies out and up into the sky.

Giving in to his increasing boredom, the dark haired boy plops down onto the ground beside his dog and rests his chin on the palm of his hand. He watches the leaves as they fall from the trees and land on the surface of the lake, leaving ripples in the calm pool. To an outsider, he may appear to have let his guard down, but in reality, he's hoping his sensei will just come out from hiding spot thinking his student is vulnerable.

As the leaves continue to perform a sort of dance and Toshi relaxes, Hideo's eyes scan the area in case he notices something off that will give away Iwashi-sensei's position. Instead of spotting his teacher however, Hideo sees a smaller figure exiting the forest on the other side of the lake. His eyes narrow at the person because it's unsafe for them to be out on the training grounds when a team is currently occupying it. Then Hideo's eyes widen a fraction when he learns the person's identity. Because of his distance, it took the sound of her voice for him to figure it out.

"Hurry up Hoshi!" Akari calls into the trees behind her.

Hideo shifts uncomfortably because she really shouldn't be here. Neither her nor his sister should be here. Sensing his partner's anxiety, Toshio opens his eyes.

"What's going on Hideo?"

Hideo doesn't respond and continues to stare across the lake. Toshio follows his gaze and he cocks his head in confusion before turning back to Hideo who's rising to his feet.

There're a few flashes as the sunlight reflects off some weapons that soar through the air from where Norio and Kanae are sparring. The stray kunai and shuriken head straight towards Akari sending alarm through Hideo's system.

Without hesitation, Hideo pumps chakra into his legs and sprints across the surface of the lake. In an instant, he's standing before Akari and ripples are left on the surface of the water where he'd stepped.

Sharp pains in the raven haired boy's back make him grit his teeth and involuntarily close his eyes as he takes the hit. Kunai and shuriken are imbedded in his back and sweat forms on his brow from his intense pain. Hideo coughs and a trickle of blood escapes from the corner of his mouth. As he tries to ignore his body's condition, he forces his eyes open to look at Akari to ensure that she's all right.

When he does, he immediately drops his head as foolishness hits him like a wave. Akari's uninjured because she wasn't even there to begin with. It's genjutsu, a mere image, and he fell for it. The crimson liquid dripping down his back isn't real, but the pain of his injuries sure feels like this is reality. Then the pain disappears along with Akari. There's no blood because there're no wounds.

The jutsu has been released and Iwashi slowly makes his way towards his student. Meanwhile, Norio and Kanae have taken a break from their sparring after witnessing Hideo suddenly rush to their side of the lake, but due to the fact that they weren't under the genjutsu, they along with Toshio didn't see the image. They want to know the reason for their comrade's strange actions.

Hideo doesn't look up at his sensei as Iwashi comes to a stop beside him. The older ninja stares down at the boy almost sorrowfully.

"Shinobi can't allow their emotions to exist during a mission. They must be locked away and forgotten," the jounin states softly, but Hideo knows it's his way of scolding him as best he can without seeming angry. Because Iwashi isn't angry. He just expected more from a member of the Uchiha clan. "Death in a ninja's life is inevitable so growing attached to individuals results in weakness if we allow it to consume us."

"This is why you aren't ready to become a chunin," he continues. "Although you excel in skill, you're still too young to fully accomplish the task of ridding yourself of your emotions. It is an essential part of being a true shinobi. It's fine to allow yourself to feel, but only when you're not performing your duty as a ninja of Konoha and are instead just Uchiha Hideo, a normal citizen."

Iwashi turns towards the eavesdropping Norio and Kanae who immediately go rigid in hopes that their sensei doesn't begin scolding them as well. Gesturing for them to come forward, he waits for the last two members of the team to come closer before he continues.

"None of you are ready to become chunin and there's nothing wrong with that. You've only been genin for a year and there's a lot to learn yet," he explains. "Honing your skills takes time and working as a team will help speed up the process. If you all really wanted to become chunin, you'd decide when to meet and work on your jutsu instead of waiting for me to train with you. Just because I'm your sensei that doesn't mean I have to oversee all your efforts to advance in rank."

Saying nothing more, Iwashi departs in a puff of smoke and leaves his genin to contemplate his words. After a moment of silence, Norio breaks it.

"Wow Hideo. I can't believe you actually fell for Sensei's genjutsu."

Kanae punches the older boy in the shoulder. "Don't be like that! You would've fallen for it too," she argues.

The silver eyed genin rubs his sore shoulder. "Yeah, but he's an…"

Norio trails off when his female teammate shoots him a look and they eye the younger boy nervously, dreading that Hideo realized what Norio was about to say. Although he doesn't give any outward indication that he does know, Hideo understands what his comrade was going to say. Norio and Kanae may be his friends and they may treat him better than most of the others, but they still have one thing in common with those who insult him. They share the same thought as their sensei.

They expected more from him just because of his name. The fact that he's an Uchiha and not an average ninja means he's supposed to be exceptional. He isn't supposed to make the same mistakes as all the other genin because of his heritage. He must fit the label of an Uchiha despite the fact that he's also an Inuzuka by blood. Two very different clans, but because he's name is Uchiha instead of Inuzuka he must act like one. A cold, emotionless genius who rarely speaks.

Hideo closes his eyes and pushes back his emotions. Once he's locked away his heart and other sentiments, the boy prepares to begin steeling himself against the world and becoming the Uchiha everyone clearly wants him to be because for right now, that's what is needed of him. Not necessarily cold, but more reserved than usual. There're times where emotions are important, but for now, pretending they don't exist at all will help better prepare him for missions. If he's constantly stoic for a long period of time, he can return to normal after a few years and not screw up when fulfilling his duty as a shinobi. Harsh, yes but then again, no one said being a ninja was easy…or fair.

Finally, Hideo straightens but his gaze never leaves the spot where the fake Akari had been. He can picture her wide eyes as the sharp kunai assault his back. Although the even never really happened, he'd do it over and over again in reality if need be. It has nothing to do with sentiments, but his promise he made five years ago. Therefore, he's not breaking any rules. In fact, he's following them by keeping his pledge despite its difficulty.

"It's lunch time," he states blankly. "We might as well take a short break to get something to eat then come back here to train."

Behind him, his teammates nod and go to retrieve their bentos while Hideo crosses the lake to get back to Toshi. The dog jumps up from his spot on the grass.

"Hideo, your eyes!" Toshio exclaims.

The raven haired genin's eyebrows furrow as he turns back to the lake. Peering down, his breath catches in his throat and Toshio comes to stand beside him with his tail wagging happily.

Sharingan eyes stare right back are Hideo. Based on Hideo's knowledge of the special doujutsu of his clan, these blood red eyes are not yet complete. One of his orbs only has a single tomoe (black comma) while the other has two. A complete Sharingan has three. Kanae calling to him breaks the young Uchiha out of his stupor.

"Hideo-kun," she yells across the lake, making Hideo quickly deactivate his Sharingan before glancing up. She smiles teasingly at him before saying "We're eating lunch, remember?"

Hideo nods and represses a smile as he remembers his sensei's words. "I forgot my bento at home. I'll go get it and be right back," he calls.

Not waiting for a response, Hideo takes off in the direction of his house with Toshio at his heels. He doesn't get very far however because he catches the sound of soft voices. Stopping, Hideo sighs as he turns to find Akari, Hoshi, and Kazuki hiding behind a tree. They smile sheepishly for getting caught spying on him and his teammates.

"Hey Niisan," Hoshi greets.

"Hello Hideo-kun," Akari says cheerfully.

Hideo gives them a long, hard stare that makes the two girls fidget under his gaze. They've been following him around lately and their admiration is obvious in their behavior. Of all the people in the village other than his own parents and the rest of the Tsuki, these two girls are the only ones who don't seem to have certain expectations of him. To Hoshi, he's a big brother that she can learn from. Meanwhile, Akari just sees him has Hideo, a friend who happens to be a good ninja. His high status as an Uchiha means next to nothing with them. Uchiha is just a name, not a label.

Stuffing his hands in his pockets, the raven haired boy gestures with his head for the girls to follow him. They scramble to their feet and hurry over to the genin who's two years their senior. Kazuki crouches so his hindquarters are in the air as he greets Toshio. The red puppy gives a friendly bark as his tail wags happily and his tongue lolls out of his mouth. The red canine knows only a few words and is looking for more lessons from his partner and even Toshio if he gets the chance.

The children along with the two dogs make their way to the Uchiha compound. Once they arrive, Hideo and Hoshi discover due to the absence of the Haimaru Triplets that their mother is working at the clinic. But they can smell that their father is still home thanks to the sharp senses they inherited from Hana.

Instead of grabbing his lunch and heading back to the training grounds, Hideo seeks out the older Uchiha. He finds his father in his study. Various books and scrolls are organized on a large bookshelf while a few are piled on the desk where Itachi is currently seated. He appears to be concentrating on his work so Hideo hesitates to speak with him. But Itachi didn't become an ANBU captain at the age of thirteen for nothing.

"Is there something you need, Hideo?" the prodigy asks before lifting his head to acknowledge his son. "Shouldn't you be with your teammates?"

"We're taking a break for lunch and I forgot mine," Hideo replies quietly.

His father nods in understanding as he continues to watch Hideo expectantly. Even though he has work he needs to finish, Itachi can see that Hideo has something important to tell him and his dark eyes show nothing but patience as he watches the young Uchiha.

"While we were all training, guess what happened Tousan," Hideo says with a tiny amount of uncertainty in his voice.

There's a glimmer of amusement in Itachi's eyes and Hideo immediately thinks of what his sensei told him about emotions. If they're so bad then why does a great shinobi like his father allow others to see his own?

"I don't know Hideo," Itachi replies. The deep, smooth voice breaks Hideo from his thoughts. "What happened?"

The nine year old puffs his chest proudly as he answers. "I activated my Sharingan."

Silently, Itachi motions for his son to come closer with his hand. Hideo approaches and once he's standing in front of his father, Itachi smiles softly at him. The older prodigy brings his hand up to rest on Hideo's head in a form of praise.

"That's wonderful, Hideo," Itachi states. He doesn't asks how this monumental even occurred despite his slight curiosity. Generally, an Uchiha can only activate his or her Sharingan for the first time during times of emotional stress in the heat of battle. "Can I see?"

The boy nods quickly and his dark orbs bleed into the crimson red of the Sharingan. He observes his father and can see the chakra flowing through the older Uchiha's body. The two tomoe in his right eye seem to dance as they slowly spin around the black pupil. In his left eye, the lone tomoe slowly moves around the pupil as well. It's alone for now, but as Hideo grows up and advances as a ninja, mastery of this bloodline doujutsu will come and both eyes will become complete with three tomoe.

Itachi smiles at the boy and ruffles his soft, dark hair. Hideo blinks and deactivates his new doujutsu.

"Use it well," Itachi advises. "You should probably be heading back to your team. They're most likely waiting for you by now."

Hideo's eyes widen a fraction and he hurries out of the study. As if remembering something, he turns on his heel and gives his father a respectful bow.

"Bye Tousan," he says before hurrying to the front door where Toshio is waiting for him.

Just as his hand reaches for the door, his stomach growls loudly. Giggles behind him make Hideo quickly turn around to see Hoshi and Akari peeking at him from behind a wall. He sends them a glare as a slight red hue graces his features. The girls take the hint and are gone in the blink of an eye.

Another grumble from his stomach makes Hideo turn his glare to it instead. Taking a deep breath, he calms himself down and enters the kitchen. Spotting his bento on the table, he grabs it and something for Toshi to eat before heading back to the front door. Whistling, he gets Toshio's attention and the duo rushes off to the training grounds again.

When he arrives, Norio and Kanae are nearly done with their meals. He takes a seat in the grass and quietly eats his own lunch. Deciding to not mention his Sharingan yet, he helps the others form a training schedule. Hopefully, this will help them prepare for the Chunin exams.

* * *

**Yes, I'm aware that Hideo's Sharingan is the same as Sasuke's when he first activated it. I didn't do it intentionally. I figured having the eyes with uneven tomoe would suit a beginning Sharingan user and I randomly chose which eyes had which amount of tomoe. It was just a coincidence that they were the same as Sasuke's.**

**Okay so, I recently received my score for the ACT. If you can guess what my score was, I'll post the next chapter and dedicate it to the person who got it right. I won't say if you guessed right or wrong if I respond to your review. You'll all find out in the next chapter. If you want to guess multiple times to try and get me to update faster, just PM me I guess. I'll accept them. For those who don't know, the lowest possible score is a 1 (worse than a monkey) while the highest is a 36 (damn hard to get unless you're a freaking genius).**

**So to make it official, here's the question…what was my ACT score?**

**Anyway, reviews are always appreciated so don't be afraid to give one. Hope to update soon!**


	6. What's Different?

**Hey, I've got great news. I'm on summer vacation now so that means more time to write! Unless of course, I get a job. I'll miss my friends and stuff, but I'm finally free from homework and tests! No worries!**

**Okay you guys. You made some really good guesses at the answer to the question in the previous chapter. I was actually surprised by how high you were going. Here's the result of the question in the previous chapter. My ACT score was a 31 which makes the winner….**

**Michi! Congratulations! This chapter's dedicated to you. Nice guess although it wasn't much of a guess since technically I told you what my score was the Monday after I got it. We see each other every day! And I told you to make the 'guess,' but whatever. I've been sitting on this chapter for a while now it seems and I've really wanted to post it. I'm sure everyone is happy to finally read it now to.**

**This is a longer one so I hope you enjoy it!**

* * *

**What's Different?**

He became a chunin at the age of eleven and now he's standing in the Hokage's office after just being promoted to jounin. Hideo is thirteen now and his genin team has been disband since none of them are actually genin anymore. His former teammates are seventeen and have only been chunin for about a year with high hopes for being selected as jounin.

The Rokudaime is wearing a grin that resembles the fox demon sealed within his body as he stands in front of his desk. While he's said to have matured with age, his bright orange Hokage outfit with black flames on the fringe says differently. Meanwhile, Toshio is sitting by his side and his pointed ears are alert as they swivel at the top of his head. The midnight blue canine is listening carefully to the people walking around in the hallway as his own sort of training so he's prepared to use his abilities on missions in situations where Hideo or fellow shinobi require his aid.

"So, what do you think about my offer?" Naruto asks with that grin still in place.

Hideo glances over at the uniform in the corner. If he accepts the Hokage's proposal, it'll become his, but the risks that come along with it are high. The ANBU mask that resembles a wolf rests on top of the uniform. Black paint is used around the mouth as well as the eyes. The decorative paint around the eyes begins at a point near the nose and extends up passed the eye holes and to the tips of the somewhat rounded ears. The black is then outlined with crimson paint. The same technique is used on the wavy lines on the checks of the wolf mask. The wolf like mask seems to be mocking him. Its expression would be impassive if it weren't for the hints of a snarl. An ANBU's mask is supposed to portray the character of the person wearing it and the teen isn't sure if this mixed look of impassiveness and slight aggression staring back at him is a good thing.

Hideo shakes his head in response to the blonde's question. "I'm sorry Hokage-sama. I don't believe I'm ready for that quite yet. I've only just become a jounin after all."

The expression on the Hokage's face becomes one of mild surprise. "You sure? I've selected a few chunin to join the ANBU and they're doing just fine. I wouldn't have chosen you if I didn't think it would work out."

The raven haired teen gives an apologetic bow. "My apologies, Hokage-sama. I just feel that there's still so much for me to learn. Maybe in the future."

Naruto shrugs and makes his way around his desk and takes a seat behind it. Paperwork is piling up on it as well as the surrounding area. It seems that there's more to being Konoha's leader than being an incredible ninja that the blonde didn't realize.

Searching through a particular stack, Naruto pulls out a file then grabs a scroll from a draw. Looking back up at the young ninja and dog still in his office, the Hokage places the file on the desk in front of him to be looked at later and holds out the scroll to Hideo.

As the teen accepts the scroll, Naruto begins explaining the A-rank mission. "I don't like forcing something this important on you so suddenly, but the mission requires a Sharingan user and you're the only one available who's also a jounin. Kakashi-sensei is currently in the hospital and your father has been on so many missions lately that I had to send out Teme in his place so he'd get a break which leaves this one to you."

Deciding it'd be best if he ignored his uncle's nickname, Hideo unrolls the scroll and his eyes carefully scan over the information. As he does, he makes sure to listen to the Hokage as he continues to speak.

"It'll take a while to complete this mission. It may even take a little more than a month if delays pop up." The blonde's cerulean orbs study the ninja before him. "I'm sure you're aware that the graduation exam at the academy will be held in about a month."

Toshio looks up at his partner to see that Hideo's face is completely blank. The dog is about to say something when the jounin cuts him off.

"We'll be back before then," he states bluntly.

Naruto nods and picks up the file. "When you get back, this is your next assignment. I'll wait till you return to show you what it is though," he says with a smile.

Hideo is left wondering what exactly is in the file as Naruto opens a drawer to pull out a package of instant ramen. "You'll meet the rest of your team at the gate at two. This gives you three hours to pack your things and get the necessary supplies. You're dismissed."

Both Hideo and Toshio bow respectfully before exiting the office. The Rokudaime sighs happily as he prepares to eat his lunch. Meanwhile as they walk down the hallway, Toshio is addressing some of his concerns.

"This is our first A-rank mission, Hideo. Hokage-sama said it would take about a month and with our inexperience it may take even long than that!" Toshi exclaims. "How are we going to get back in time for…"

The dog trails off and his eyes widen. "You don't think Hoshi-chan or Akari-chan will graduate this year, do you?" he asks his master in shock.

Hideo's face remains impassive. "They're going to pass, Toshio. And we'll be back in time to congratulate them," he assures.

As the duo walks through the villiage, they're greeted by many familiar faces. Hideo's cousin, Ryuu, stops to question him about being a jounin for which he doesn't have many answers. A few chunin mention that they wish they'd been appointed along with him while the jounin he passes give him a nod or a clap on the shoulder as a welcome to their rank. One even ruffled his hair as a teasing gesture about his young age.

His former teammates, Norio and Kanae, congratulate him and tell him they too are going on the mission. Despite the fact that they're no longer teammate, the two chunin are frequently seen together. Once, Norio actually came to Hideo when he realized he's beginning to like the kunoichi. Being only eleven at the time, the younger ninja felt awkward throughout the conversation. The older boy clearly had trouble grasping the thought that he might have feelings for the girl and seemed to be trying to convince Hideo that it was only a stupid crush so his comrade could then in turn convince him. Hideo remembers that Hoshi had eavesdropped the conversation with her sharp hearing and teased the fifteen year old.

Now two years later, Norio seems to have gotten over his crush and the relationship between him and Kanae is platonic with usually no indication that there's anything more between them. However, there're times when Kanae seems to flirt with her former teammate, but she also behaves that way to Hideo sometimes as well which always seems to displease Norio. This causes Hideo to briefly wonder about his comrades' feelings, but in the end, he always shrugs it off as Kanae just trying to make them uncomfortable or some female nonsense he doesn't understand. After all, the arguing between Norio and Kanae has died down only a fraction as they've grown older and more mature.

Finally returning home, Hideo packs his things then writes a quick note to his family seeing as they're currently elsewhere. It's short and concise, which is generally the way he speaks. Now that he's ready, the young Sharingan user pats his canine companion's head before they set off towards the village gates for their mission.

* * *

Tsuki Akari waits outside the examination room for her friend. The students were called in alphabetical order so Akari has already taken it and passed. Her headband is being clutched in her hand as she nervously awaits Hoshi's return. She repeatedly tells herself that there's nothing to be worried about because Hoshi is one of the top students at the academy. Still, there's a funny knot in her stomach as Akari fidgets.

Suddenly, the door opens and Hoshi comes out smiling with Kazuki wagging his tail happily. A wide grin comes over Akari's face as Hoshi ties her headband around her forehead. Still smiling, Akari ties her own headband loosely around her neck. With that, the two eleven year olds run outside to try and find their parents so they can share the news.

Outside the academy building, there's a crowd of parents and new genin. It's difficult for Akari and Hoshi to move through them to get off to the side where their parents will most likely be located. As they try to get out of the group, Akari gets split from Hoshi and Kazuki. Pushing her way passed some adults and excited kids, she finally gets out of the mass and scans the area for her friend or parents.

Instead of her family, blue orbs spot a young man about a head taller than her not too far away. His long and slightly messy black hair is nearly falling into his eyes. Although she can't see his eyes, Akari can tell that they're scanning the area because the man seems to be rather alert despite the fact that his hands are casually stuffed into his pockets. Taking in his young age, Akari decides that the green vest that he's wearing signifies that the young man is probably a chunin or even a special jounin.

He turns his head in her direction and Akari stiffens. She can see a hint of a smirk on his face before he tilts his head to look at something behind her. Curious, Akari glances over her shoulder to see a dog moving through the throng of people as it sniffs the ground. The dark blue dog is coming in her direction and soon it's lifted its head as it trots over to her.

As the dog sits down in front of her and wags his tail, the young man starts walking closer. Akari is just about to run off when the canine smiles at her and she does a double take. A deep and almost husky chuckle makes Akari's head snap up to find the young man standing directly in front of her with the dog between them.

"Hello Akari-chan," the young man says and now that he's closer, the genin can see that he's looking at her with soft eyes. His expression in addition to the way he said her name makes her blush. Only one boy says her name in such a way, but this young shinobi appears to be older than Hideo.

"Niisan!" Akari suddenly hears Hoshi shout as she runs up to the young man.

Akari's eyes widen in surprise when the young man allows her friend to hug him. She glances down at the midnight blue dog before her to see a small Uchiha fan hanging from the headband that acts as his collar. If this is Toshio then that means that this stranger is really Hideo.

"Hideo-kun?" Akari asks uncertainly. The young man looks back over to her at the sound of his name. She can't believe this is Hideo. He looks so much more mature than when she last saw him over a month ago. His features look slightly more grown up and the dirt and grim covering his skin and uniform made it difficult to distinguish his identity. He may have even grown a few inches.

Akari grins and hurries forward to wrap her arms around the older boy's waist. He tenses momentarily before relaxing slightly and placing a hand on her head awkwardly. Akari looks up at his face and finds herself disappointed not to see him giving that rare smile. Instead his expression is void and his eyes seem different than normal. The special flicker in his eyes usually just dims for a short period of time after mission, but now it seems to have never existed. She's sure it'll come back soon though. It always does even after some really rough mission. Also, the gentleness she had previously seen in his obsidian eyes has been replaced by a hint of what looks like sorrow, sorrow that he'd shown affection.

"What I don't get a hug?" Toshio asks with an indication of hurt in his voice.

Kazuki chuckles. "You reek, Toshio. No one wants to hug you," the red canine teases.

The blue dog shoots the other a glare. "Hey, I was on an A-rank mission. And I smell a hell of a lot better than Hideo!"

Kazuki snorts at the comment and rolls his eyes. In an attempt to comfort Toshio, Akari removes herself from the jounin and gives the dog a hug.

"I can't believe you actually made it, Aniki!" Hoshi exclaims.

"I told you I wouldn't miss your graduation," Hideo replies softly.

A distance away, Hayato notices the teen with his daughter. His eyebrows furrow and he leans closer to his wife who's watching their twins.

"Hey Sorami, who's that guy with Akari?"

Beside him, Itachi makes a comment instead. "That's Hideo." Under his breath the prodigy mutters, "Baka."

Ignoring the name, Hayato continues to observe the boy. "He looks like he just got back from a mission."

Itachi nods in confirmation. "One month."

An awed whistle comes from Hayato. "One month and the first thing he does is come congratulate Hoshi and Akari."

The adults see Hideo excuse himself from the girls before coming over to greet them with Toshio. After a brief conversation, the teen states that the Hokage wished to see him after he returned and departs.

It isn't long before he's standing before the Rokudaime. If it's even possible, there's even more worked piled up on his desk than when Hideo left a month ago. In addition, a few bowls of ramen have yet to be cleaned up.

Naruto greets him cheerfully then a confused expression crosses his face. "What are you doing here?"

Hideo forces himself not to sigh. "You had a file you wanted to give to me once I returned from my mission, Hokage-sama."

The blonde's memory seems to be refreshed and he rummages through the loads of paperwork.

"Here it is!" he suddenly announces before holding the file out to the raven haired jounin. As Hideo accepts it, Naruto quickly says, "It's only a temporary thing until I get someone else so don't start lecturing me about it. I've already got enough crap from those grumpy old advisers," the Rokudaime grumbles.

Now slightly unnerved, Hideo opens the file. His whole body stiffens as his dark orbs widen. Toshio nudges his companion's leg as the teen stares unseeingly at the documents. Then, some of the papers fall from the folder and float down to the floor with Hideo making no move to pick them back up. Instead, the stunned young man continues to stare with his mouth slightly agape.

Toshio looks down at the papers and bites his lip to prevent himself from bursting into laughter. The dog's shoulders shake with repressed snickers as his partner stares at the Hokage in shock.

* * *

When Hoshi awoke the next morning, she went to go check to see if her brother was awake first. When she looked in his room, the bed was already made and the teen was gone. The girl had been hoping to at least eat breakfast with him since she hasn't seen him in over a month, but it seems she'll need to wait a little longer.

After eating, Hoshi and Kazuki hurry to the academy where they meet Akari and get assigned to their genin team. Taking seats in the classroom, the duo chats as they wait for their sensei to arrive which doesn't take long.

To their pleasure, the girls are placed on the same squad along with a boy that's a year older than them. They've worked with him a few times before and got along pretty well. After everyone's been split into teams, they take a quick break for lunch then return to the class to meet their new sensei.

About twenty minutes later, a few teams are already gone off with their assigned teacher. The girls get a surprise when Hideo enters the room with Toshio ever present by his side. There's a paper in his hand as he goes up to the teacher. The young jounin only reaches the chunin's shoulder and the sight amuses Hoshi and Akari.

Around them, some of the female genin are whispering to each other. Kazuki snickers causing Hoshi to glance down at him. Noticing her glance, the red dog twitches his ears as a signal for her to listen. Hoshi listens to the girls' gossip and smirks.

"Hey Niisan, they think you're hot!" Hoshi calls down to her brother.

Akari giggles as the boy shifts uncomfortably under the stares of the many genin. Only she and Hoshi can see his apparent embarrassment. Hideo tries to keep his face serious as he looks over to them. Hoshi and Akari wave at him.

"Hey Hideo-kun!" Akari says to try and embarrass him further. The name earns glares from the other girls in the room. They probably envy her for knowing the jounin, but Akari doesn't care. Although she'll admit that Hideo is incredibly good looking, he's just a good friend, almost a big brother.

Hideo sighs as the chunin clears his throat to bring order back to the room. "Team 12," he calls.

Hoshi, Akari, and the boy stand and walk down to him. Nothing happens for a moment and the three genin glance around the room.

"Um," Akari begins. "Why did you call us down? Our sensei isn't here yet."

Toshio snickers and the trio turns their heads towards Hideo. He's pinching the bridge of his nose as if he has a headache. Jaws drop when they put the pieces together.

In conformation, the chunin says, "Team 12, this is your sensei, Uchiha Hideo.

"There's no way in hell Aniki is our sensei!" Hoshi yells in shock as she points a finger at her brother.

"You can't call him that Hoshi," the teacher informs. "You must show Uchiha-san respect as your sensei. The same goes for you, Akari. You can't call him Hideo-kun."

Getting involved, the boy says, "But he's only a year older than I am!"

"Seeing as you three are still mere genin while I'm the jounin, I suggest you start behaving before you regret questioning my authority," Hideo says, speaking for the first time.

The three instantly quiet down as the thirteen year old gives them a hard look. With his head, the raven haired teen motions for them to follow him and he leads them out of the classroom. Their walk is filled with an awkward silence until finally they arrive at the training grounds and Hideo turns around.

"I'm only going to be your sensei temporarily," he states. "I just want to clear that up. I don't care what you call me as long as you show me the proper respect. I couldn't care less if you don't like me telling you what to do because I'm only a year or two older than you or because I'm a relative or friend. I'm under the Hokage's orders and that's all that does matter."

His voice is dead of emotion and Akari doesn't like it. She's rarely seen him so serious. Hideo behaves very formally as he asks them a few questions, most of which he already knows the answers. Still, he shows professionalism and they expect nothing less.

After while of 'getting to know each other,' Hideo says they're going to train the rest of the day and receive their first mission tomorrow. The genin practice their jutsu as their sensei observes them. Then Hideo calls Akari over and she obediently goes to him.

"Every squad needs a medic nin," he states calmly. "Your mother has taught you a few techniques, right?"

Akari nods. "Yea, Kaasan is teaching me some basic skills so I can heal minor injuries. It comes in handy when some of Tousan's summons aren't pleased with him," she replies with a laugh.

"Have you learned to summon yet?"

Akari blinks at the sudden question. "Well…not yet, but Tousan plans to teach me soon." The teen nods in understanding.

As she takes notice of his dark eyes, Akari feels her heart sink when she sees that the flicker hasn't returned yet. And as the hours becomes days which turn into weeks, it still hasn't been seen. Eventually, a few months pass and Hideo is no longer the sensei of Team 12. At times, he fills in when their actual sensei is out on mission or stuck in the hospital. But that flicker is still absent and Hideo's eyes seem incomplete. Yet Akari doesn't ask what happened on that mission. Despite their curiosity, no one does.

* * *

_On the mission_

This is the first mission in a long time where Hideo was teamed up with his former squad members. Originally, there were six ninja on this mission, two jounin and four chunin. Halfway to their destination however, the group split up into two groups of three, one jounin for two chunin. The two groups were to complete a certain task in hopes of accomplishing their goal faster. Now, Hideo is with his old teammates. Nothing seems to have changed over the passed few years Hideo thinks as Norio and Kanae's fight escalates behind him.

"Just shut up, Kanae. You're going to draw attention to us so we end up getting attacked or something," Norio yells at the kunoichi.

"Oh drop dead you bastard!" she shouts in response.

Hideo had been ignoring them so he isn't sure what had made their arguing intensify to this point. There's no retort from Norio and Hideo shoots a glance over his shoulder to check on the older teen. The dark haired chunin has come to a stop and is gaping slightly at Kanae who hasn't stopped walking. Hideo sees an immense amount of pain in his silvery eyes despite how much he tries to hide it.

Immediately, the raven haired jounin scans the area for enemies, but sees nothing. He doesn't understand why Norio appears as if he's just been stabbed with a kunai, because he sees no enemy, no weapons.

Then he's hit with a realization. Norio isn't in physical pain, but emotional pain, something Hideo can't comprehend. Locking away his emotions has prevented him from experiencing it and from the look on his comrade's face, Hideo's glad he did.

Noticing that Hideo has stopped, Kanae looks back to see what he's looking at. She gives Norio a glare before grabbing Hideo's arm to pull him forward.

"Come on Hideo-kun."

Hideo looks back at his friend who's slowly following them. Silver eyes meet obsidian and Hideo sees jealously in the older boy's eyes. No matter how hard Norio's tried to force back his feelings for the kunoichi, they're too strong for him to control. There's nothing that Hideo can do to help right now, but he'll be sure to try and fix the relationship between his friends later when he has the opportunity.

In the back of his mind, Hideo makes a mental note to himself to keep a look out for emotional pain as well because it seems to be more painful than the physical kind. No wonder emotions are a weakness for ninja. He'll be sure to remember to protect Akari from this as well. His promise won't be broken.

* * *

**Yeah, I didn't put in the entire mission because the chapter was running longer than I thought. I ended up changing some of my plans. I hope it's clear though that Hideo seems to be more effected by this mission than the others because he realizes how 'harmful' emotions are. It'll also come into play later when Hideo tries to protect Akari from things other than getting attacked or something.**

**Also from here, I'm jumping to when Akari and Hoshi are 18 while Hideo is 20 because I don't have any more ideas to fill in the time between now and then. I've already got the next chapter typed up. I'm not going to have you answer a question in order to get it posted though. I'm just going to proofread it a few times and make some adjustments before updating again. Should be soon though.**

**Reviews are always appreciated. Comments, complaints, compliments. Whatever you got, send them in because they make me a better writer.**


	7. Their Game

**Some quick info because I can't exactly fit it in the story, but you might need to know it. I can't really remember if you do or not so I'll play on the safe side and fill you in. Hideo ended up joining the ANBU at 15. Hoshi activated her Sharingan at 12, became chunin at 14, and a jounin at 16. Akari is sort of a medic nin (she only knows basic skills), became a chunin at 15 and jounin at 18.**

**And by Cheese Maiden's request, I'll post who all the characters are with a short description of how they look to try and keep people from getting confused.**

**Uchiha Hideo**** – the son of Itachi and Hana, canine companion is Toshio or Toshi (midnight blue); black hair and eyes**

**Uchiha Hoshi**** – Hideo's younger sister whose partner is Kazuki (reddish); dark brown, almost black hair and brown eyes**

**Tsuki Akari**** – Hayato and Sorami's oldest daughter, sort of a medic; brown hair, blue eyes**

**Tsuki Kane & Suzume**** – twins of Hayato and Sorami. Kane male with spiky black hair and dark blue eyes, Suzume female with dark brown hair that has light brown highlights and brown eyes.**

**Norio**** – teammate on Hideo's genin squad; black hair with purplish tinge and silvery eyes**

**Kanae**** – female member of Hideo's genin team; dark blue, almost black hair and dark blue eyes**

**Tatami Iwashi**** – jounin in charge of Hideo's genin squad (probably only use him again once or twice)**

**Uchiha Ryuu**** – Don't know if he'll be mentioned very often, but he's Sasuke and Sakura's oldest son (Hideo & Hoshi's cousin). Sasuke and Sakura have more kids, but I don't feel like making them up and probably won't ever use them. He's got raven color hair and eyes.**

* * *

**Their Game**

Akari groans in frustration as Hoshi observes her friend. The slightly older girl is desperately trying to concentrate on her summoning jutsu. She'd gotten so close to finally mastering it, but for some reason, she's having trouble even summoning one falcon.

"Deep breathes," Hoshi says softly as she stretches.

Again, Akari makes the hand signs and fails to perform the jutsu properly.

"Damn it!" she growls. "Yesterday I was able to summon five pretty big falcons at once and now I can't get a single one. What the hell?!"

"Your mind is on something else entirely," Kazuki states from where he's lounging below a tree. The shade it provides is keeping the dog cool and making him lazy.

"Yeah Akari, just tell us what's bothering you. I can tell you're flustered about something," the eighteen year old Uchiha pries.

The brown haired girl groans as she falls back onto the grass. "I had another dream."

"Akari, you've been having these dreams since you were fourteen! They're hardly anything to get all worked up about," Hoshi says with a sigh.

"You make it sound as if they occur every night. I only have them about three times a year."

The raven haired girl rolls her eyes. "Still, nothing happens in those dreams to throw off your concentration like this."

Akari shakes her head and Hoshi notices that her friend's face is growing red. "This one was different," she mumbles as she turns her head away.

Hoshi's eyes widen. "No way. You actually dreamed that you and Hideo-"

Akari quickly sits up and slaps a hand over Hoshi's mouth to prevent her from saying anymore. "We didn't actually go _that_ far, but it got pretty close. I woke up before anything major happened."

The brunette's cheeks are burning at the amusement in her friend's eyes. Hoshi can tell that Akari unconsciously wishes that her brother had actually showed some interest in her in reality. Since they know each other so well, Akari can practically read Hoshi's thoughts through her dark eyes.

"Shut up," she grumbles before removing her hand from the other teen's mouth and flopping back onto the grass.

"Hoshi didn't actually say anything, Akari-chan," Kazuki protests as he trots over to his partner's side.

As she pets the canine, Hoshi smirks to herself then says "Hey Niisan!"

The brunette's eyes are closed as she mutters, "That's not funny Hoshi."

"What's not funny?" a deep voice asks causing Akari's eyes to snap open. Blue clashes with obsidian as Hideo himself stares down at her in all his glory.

"N-nothing Hideo-kun," she replies with false cheerfulness. The sudden image of him hovering over her as he caresses her cheek makes Akari flinch.

Hideo raises a brow at her which she responds to with a forced smile. Deciding not to question her, he turns to Hoshi to address the reason he's here.

"A mob of your fanboys is currently swarming the entrance to the compound and somehow, they're leaving gifts outside your house," he explains with some anger in his voice. "Their proclamations of 'love' are pushing Tousan to his limits. I suggest you make them leave before the hospital receives a large amount of burn victims."

"That's the reason I left, Aniki. I didn't want to deal with all those idiots," his sister remarks. "Can't you just take care of them? The hospital can't heal casualties."

The ANBU glares at Hoshi. "Although I'd find pleasure in taking out some of my repressed anger on them, they aren't my problem."

She quirks a brow at him then retorts, "If they weren't causing you problems Hideo, you wouldn't be here."

The man scoffs and doesn't budge an inch on the topic. Deciding it's better to just listen to her brother than continue arguing, Hoshi stands and starts making her way to the Uchiha compound with Kazuki.

"Fine, I'll get rid of them," she mutters before leaving the area.

Now, Akari is alone with Hideo and the awkwardness is only one sided. Standing, the brunette brushes some blades of grass off her pants.

"So…" she begins uncertainly as Hideo watches her with blank eyes. "Where's Toshio?"

"Kaasan wanted to check him over to make sure his injuries from our last mission didn't get infected," he replies. "Seeing as I wasn't needed, I thought it'd be best if I took care of some other business."

Akari nods in understanding and gradually, she's beginning to feel comfortable around her friend again. Suddenly, a smile creeps onto her face and slight confusion appears on Hideo's features.

"Are you finished with whatever else you had to do today?" she asks.

Hideo replies with a wary, "Aa."

Akari's smile becomes a grin as she grabs his wrist and pulls him towards the village. "Then we can get something to eat. I bet you didn't even eat today."

"I'm not hungry."

The jounin glances over her shoulder. "I guess you don't want dango then."

If he'd been a dog, Akari would've seen the ANBU's ears perk up. Instead, she notices a spark in the Uchiha's eyes as he instantly gives in to her wishes.

"I suppose getting something to eat won't hurt."

Seeing as her friend is no longer resisting, Akari releases her hold on his wrist and Hideo comes to walk beside her. The young woman giggles at the raven haired man's behavior.

"You're so easy, Hideo-kun."

"Most people would say otherwise," Hideo argues as he peeks at her from the corner of his eye.

Before long, the duo arrives at the shop and takes their seats across from each other. They receive their dango and tea then continue to talk casually. When Akari reaches for the last one, Hideo quickly snatches it. Akari pouts at him which the ANBU responds to by waving the stick tauntingly.

"You're too slow, Akari-chan," he says with a smirk.

Leaning back, Akari crosses her arms and shoots him a playful glare. The older ninja brings the stick to his mouth and the pink dumpling disappears from sight as he eats it irritatingly slow. The brunette watches as Hideo's tongue quickly sweeps across his lips, tasting the sweetness.

When Hideo goes to eat another dumpling, Akari turns her head away as she pretends to scan the shop. However, her eyes fall upon a few girls in the corner who are staring in their direction and whispering or giggling occasionally. Her gaze flickers to Hideo, who's paused his eating to observe her. She bites back a laugh at his expression. The ANBU had been in the process of pulling the white dumpling off the skewer so he looks a bit funny holding the dango and skewer in his mouth as he blinks curiously at her.

"It seems that you have a few fans here," the jounin utters under her breath so only Hideo can hear.

Only Akari can see the young man barely pale, but his body remains completely relaxed. Removing the skewer from his mouth, the Uchiha discreetly and almost tiredly checks on the girls in the corner. His head doesn't move an inch as he does this. The action would probably cause them to squeal anyway. His eyes lazily come back to land on Akari. His dark orbs pierce her own and as a small smirk comes onto Hideo's features, she feels nervous not knowing what he's planning.

"Do you want the last of the dango, Akari-chan?" he murmurs huskily. The way he's speaking sends a shiver down the young woman's spine. His dark pools have captured hers and seem to smolder, having a numbing effect on her body.

Taking her silence as a 'yes,' Hideo places the stick in his mouth on an angle which confuses Akari. Careful not to disturb their tea, the Sharingan user leans forward so his face is near his friend's and his cheek is almost brushing her own reddening one. The remaining green dumpling is positioned directly in front of her mouth and feeling Hideo watching her from the corner of his eye, Akari hesitantly pulls it off and eats the sweet food.

Pressure is placed on Akari's hand and she nearly jumps at the sudden contact as tingles shoot up her arm. Hideo traces patterns on the back of her hand with his fingertips and leans closer to his friend's ear. The twenty year-old's breath is warm as he whispers to her.

"What's wrong Akari-chan?" the Uchiha asks. "Didn't you enjoy the dango?"

Akari mentally curses the raven haired man for being so charming. His masculine scent is intoxicating and the young woman tries desperately to resist burying her face into him and inhaling his unique smell.

In an instant, Hideo's face is no longer beside hers and the ANBU has fished money out of his pocket to pay for their meal. Placing it on the table, the raven haired ninja grabs Akari's hand and pulls her out of her seat. Once they're out of the dango shop, Hideo releases her hand and puts his arm around her shoulder to pull her closer to him.

"And you call me easy," he remarks as he points to her red face. This kind of teasing is a sort of a game to them. Every so often, they'll behave in an almost flirtatious manner when the situation calls for it like escaping Hideo's fangirls or freaking out one of their friends. Then when the other least expects it, they try to one up each other or get revenge another way.

Akari pushes him away and gets out of the friendly half hug. "I'm not easy. How did you expect me to react to that? You don't usually act so boldly to get rid of fangirls," she argues. Pausing to think a moment, the brunette continues. "They're going to spread rumors now."

"Rumors that everyone in the village knows aren't true," he replies smugly.

"Wipe that look of your face, Uchiha, because I'm going to get you back," Akari retorts causing Hideo to quirk a brow.

The two fall quiet as they walk down the street towards the Uchiha district. Akari unconsciously follows her older friend as he enters the compound. Then, they pass the area of familiarity and venture into a part of the compound that Akari has rarely gone to. The atmosphere changes immediately into one that's more gloomy.

They've come to the graves of the Uchiha clan that had been massacred on this day twenty-nine years ago. Stepping forward, Hideo squats before a gravestone and traces the name with his fingers. His face is blank as he does this and not wanting to disturb him, Akari says nothing.

"It's strange," Hideo says quietly. "I never knew them, but I still miss them. As if a part of me is missing, a part that I never had to begin with."

"It makes sense," Akari responds. "They were your family. It's natural to feel sad."

Akari stares at the young man's back as he speaks again. "But it doesn't feel like sadness. They're ghosts that haunt the Uchiha clan's past, a past I wasn't a part of. We're different entities altogether." Hideo stops for a moment to gather his thoughts. "Yet, I wish they were still around. I wish they could be with Tousan and Uncle. That they could be with all of us."

"That's grief, Hideo," Akari replies patiently. The young man is so unattached to his emotions that it's easy to grow frustrated when he doesn't understand his feelings. "Rephrase it anyway you like, but that's what you're feeling."

Hideo frowns, but doesn't look at her. "I don't agree with your diagnosis, but either way, I don't like this feeling."

"No one does," comes the response.

Hideo slowly rises and backs away from the graves. Turning, the Uchiha leads the brunette out of the burial ground. The duo walks through the district before coming to a halt outside Hideo's house. The raven haired man peers over at Hoshi's house to see that his sister's fanboys as well as their gifts are nowhere to be seen. Then, Hideo's gaze falls on Akari who shifts slightly under his scrutiny. His hand comes up to touch her headband which still hangs loosely around her neck like in her genin days.

"You know," he begins. "This is supposed to protect your forehead."

Akari rolls her eyes at her friend's statement. "Wearing it around my neck isn't going to kill me, Hideo. But if it means that much to you, I'll fix it."

Akari makes to move her hands to the knot behind her neck when Hideo grasps her wrists to prevent her from doing so.

"Just leave it," he states. "It suits you this way. Besides, I can always protect you."

An expression of mild shock crosses the jounin's face before it's replaced with a smile and light blush. Suddenly, their moment is disturbed by a shriek above them. Looking up into the sky, they see a falcon circling overhead.

"Tousan needs me," Akari remarks.

"Aa."

The brunette gives her friend a quick hug before hurrying off to find her father. She doesn't get far down the street, however, because Hideo calls out to her. Spinning around to look at him quickly, she finds him smirking with his hands in his pockets casually.

"I'm looking forward to learning what your revenge will be," he tells her.

Akari smiles and calls, "It'll be good. I'd worry if I was you!"

Hideo watches as the woman turns back around and exits the district. Sighing, the ANBU rolls his head to look at his roof.

"I can smell you," he mutters in slight annoyance.

In an instant, Hoshi and Kazuki flicker beside him. "I saw you," she in an almost sing-songy voice.

"And I see you."

The younger Uchiha shakes her head. "No, I saw what you did to Akari-chan at the dango shop. You shouldn't lead her on like that if you don't actually have an interest in her that way, Aniki," she scolds.

Hideo quirks a brow and his sister responds to his unasked question. "I may have performed a transformation jutsu to get away from my fanboys and just happened to walk passed the dango shop when you decided to flirt with my best friend."

"I wasn't flirting nor was I leading Akari-chan on, Hoshi. Both you and she know why I did it." **(A/N: Yes, that's grammatically correct and it'd make sense for Hideo to speak correctly despite how strange the sentences may sound.)**

"You're thinking it was because of your fangirls, but you only used them as an excuse. Admit it. You actually have feelings for Akari-chan."

"What I did was meaningless. There's nothing wrong with a joke among friends which is all we are. I don't see why you keep telling me there's an underlying reason for everything I do," Hideo responds. He's clearly becoming annoyed and Hoshi decides to push him a little further before leaving him be.

"That's because there is. Whether you realize it or not, there's more to your actions than just joking around." With that, Hoshi departs with Kazuki. When they're far enough away from the older Uchiha, the red canine speaks up.

"I'm guessing this development pleases you," he says as he continues to walk beside his partner.

Hoshi grins down at him, showing off her teeth. "Sure does. With the progress being made, I might end up winning the pot!"

Finally, the dark haired jounin thinks she has a chance at winning the bet placed on her brother and best friend.

* * *

**Yeah, so it says in the manga that Itachi had a lover, but I don't care! Since who that person was had never been clarified (and because again I don't really care), I'm sticking to Itachi/Hana.**

**Anyway, you know that button at the bottom of the page that says 'Submit Review?' Of course you do! Reviews are good because they help be become a better writer. I appreciate any advice. Comments, Compliments, or Complaints are welcome.**


	8. Overstepping Boundaries?

**So I learned something new the other day and if you were one of my friends, you'd find this hilarious, but unbelievable. Other than the fact that I was watching golf this weekend (yeah, that's pretty much a sign of the apocalypse because it's like the first time I've ever watched golf. I was surprisingly interested in it though), my mom bought cherries and my bro wanted to see if he could knot the stem. He was having some trouble and I thought 'what the hell? Might as well give it a shot.' So I gave it a try and actually knotted the damn thing! I started laughing when I did and my family looked at me like I was crazy or something. When I told them, they didn't believe me (especially my brother) and I had to do again. When I got it the second time, I don't think my dad was too happy to learn that I'm a good kisser. Yeah, shocking I know! Now that's a sign of the apocalypse! I'm probably not all that bad, but it's not like I can just ask someone if I'm a good kisser or not!**

**Okay, I know the beginning will look like Akari is admitting to herself that she loves Hideo and then she later denies it, but she's saying she loves him as a best friend/older brother. Just wanted to clear that up. This is a long one. Enjoy!**

* * *

**Overstepping Boundaries?**

"So have you figured out your revenge yet?" the female Uchiha asks her companion as the duo walks through the streets of Konoha. Kazuki walks beside his mistress, taking in the sights and smells. However, his ears perk up slightly at Hoshi's question, giving away his own curiosity.

Akari turns her head to her friend with uncertainty playing on her features. "Yeah, I've got one. It would be the perfect revenge against any guy, but I'm not sure if it'll work on Hideo," the brunette states.

Hoshi raises a brow at this before asking, "What are you planning on doing?"

"Ask him to train with me."

"That's it!" the slightly younger jounin nearly shouts. Akari blinks at her friend in surprise as Hoshi continues. "That's all you could come up with in four days!"

Akari sighs and waits patiently for the Uchiha to calm down. "Will you let me finish now?" The young woman gives her a sheepish smile. "I'm going to ask him to help me train so he doesn't suspect anything. We _will_ be training, but since we've been required to take those…special lessons, I'm going to put them to use. See if I can finally get to Hideo."

An evil smirk appears on Hoshi's face. "I like the way you think, Akari-chan, although the fact that it'll be with my own brother disturbs me a little. Still, I wouldn't want you to practice your new techniques on anyone else. It's a good thing Hideo doesn't know about that class we're taking. It would be worse if Tousan found out though. He'd probably have a heart attack," she says half jokingly. "Hideo was pretty bold that last time and from what you've told me, you're going to top that. Maybe you'll end up making him realize he can't pretend he doesn't have feelings." 'Or maybe you'll finally opening my brother's eyes to what's been right in front of him,' Hoshi thinks to herself.

"But I never get a reaction out of Hideo whenever I get him back. No visible reaction at least. I can't beat someone like that. Emotions are hard to come by with Hideo ever since he became a jounin. Sometimes, I wonder if they even exist," Akari states almost sadly. Although she loves her best friend (not counting Hoshi), there's one thing she doesn't like about Hideo. She really wishes the stoic Uchiha would express his emotions a little more like she remembers from when they were younger. "He might as well not have them at all."

Hoshi shakes her head in disagreement. "I know my Niisan. Hideo still has sentiments and someone's got to get to bring them to the surface eventually. The two of us are the only ones who _can_ get a reaction out of Hideo regularly and seeing as I'm related to him, that leaves him all to you," she adds teasingly.

Akari scoffs at this. "You're suggesting the impossible. Other than the fact that I don't want that kind of relationship with him, it's already been established that your brother has some sort of birth defect. He lacks hormones which is obvious since he's never given any girl a second glance."

"Except for you," Hoshi remarks causing Akari to look over at her again as they walk. She can already see the defensiveness in the brunette's eyes which contradicts Akari's never-ending denial. Yet behind that defensiveness is actual sincerity whether Hoshi likes it or not.

"It's called being friends," the jounin insists. "It's possible for a single guy and a single girl to just be good friends. Take Norio and Kanae for example. Their relationship is simply platonic."

A hand grips Akari's shoulder as Hoshi spins the woman around. The Uchiha's mouth is open in something similar to shock as she faces her friend. "Are you kidding me?! There's so much unresolved sexual tension between them that I'm surprised they haven't jumped each other yet!"

At Hoshi's feet, her red canine agrees. "It's true, Akari-chan. We can smell it."

There's a moment of silence while the three say nothing until Akari finally breaks it. "Now that I think about it," she begins causing Hoshi to think the brunette finally understands. "You don't show any interest in guys, Hoshi. Maybe all Uchiha lack hormones."

"Don't change the subject," Hoshi responds with a glare. Her hand still hasn't left Akari's shoulder, forcing the brunette to continue talking to her.

"I'm just saying," the medic insists, Hoshi's glare having no effect since they've known each other so long. "I've never heard you make comments about a guy besides you saying that you're better than all of them or complaining about how annoying your fanboys are."

"It's a matter of pride," Hoshi retorts in a deadpan tone, but the look on Akari's face tells her she needs to clarify more. "To be honest, no one really catches my interest enough for me to give them a chance and I'm not going to gush over every guy with a pretty face. It goes against being an Uchiha and an Inuzuka."

Akari's blue eyes drift unconsciously to her friend's upper arm where (much to Hana's pleasure) she has a tattoo. The young woman somehow was able to reflect both halves of her heritage into the symbol. It consists of a flaming star **(1)** that has the Uchiha fan in the center. Then on either side of the star, there are the fang-like marks that are on the cheeks of the Inuzuka clan except smaller. Hoshi's pride is unquestionable and although the woman is more outgoing than normal Uchiha, she's found an appropriate balance. Her personality depicts that equilibrium quite well.

Sighing, Akari gives up on arguing with Hoshi and addresses the subject the Uchiha keeps pushing on her. "I'll admit I used to have a crush on Hideo-kun and I even told you about it, but I was younger then. I've grown up now and those feelings have become nothing more than admiration and friendship. Our bond is strong and I'm fine with things the way they are."

Hoshi inwardly curses as she imagines knocking Akari and Hideo's heads together. Why can't they just get together? The Uchiha glances down at Kazuki who gives her a sympathetic look. It doesn't seem that they'll end up winning the pot on the couple.

Akari gives her friend a smile. "Want me to get you a picture of his face when I get my revenge?"

Not wanting to give away her inner thoughts, Hoshi returns the brunette's wicked grin (which isn't all that forced) while Kazuki sighs and shakes his head at the antics of the two friends. The brunette makes a few hand signs and summons one of her falcons. Getting a scroll from one of the pockets of her flak jacket, Akari sends the falcon off to deliver her training request to Hideo.

* * *

Hideo flops down on his couch in exhaustion and removes his ANBU mask. He's just returned from a mission and is in desperate need of some relaxation. The young man takes a moment to study his mask like he's done many times before. Other than the fact that it's slightly beat up instead of brand new, the wolf like mask hasn't changed at all since when he first saw it in the Rokudaime's office. Like the ANBU missions themselves, its expression of mixed impassiveness and aggression that's made up of black and red paint no longer fazes him.

There's a tap on the window pulling Hideo out of his reverie. Expecting it to be someone telling him the Hokage requests his presence so he can be given yet another mission, the ANBU heaves an exasperated sigh as he places his mask on Toshi's head and he rises from his position. A ghost of a smile creeps onto his face as a now masked Toshi tilts his head.

Hideo peers over at where the tapping sounded to find one of Akari's falcons. Opening the window, the bird hops into the house and the raven haired man takes the scroll from it. After reading its contents, the sharingan user turns his attention to his dog who is still wearing the wolf mask.

"Akari-chan is asking for a training session," he states calmly. "What do you think?"

The midnight blue canine shrugs. "We just got back," Toshio mutters. "Overwork yourself and you'll end up in the hospital for something stupid."

"We have a few hours to relax first," Hideo remarks as his black orbs scan the scroll a second time. "Getting overworked is nothing to be concerned about. Something else is bothering me though," the prodigy murmurs as he takes the mask off Toshio's face. The canine cocks his head in wonder as a signal for his partner to explain. "It's rather odd that Akari-chan didn't come her herself to force me to train with her."

As always, Toshio ignores the suffix attached to Akari's name. His companion often uses it, even when he's not speaking directly to the girl. Both the raven haired male and his dog still see their friend as a young girl and saying her name with the childish suffix has become a habit. The canine shrugs in response to Hideo's comment.

"I'm sure it's because of something simple like she wasn't sure where to find you. If there is another reason however, it's probably nothing that we should worry about. With the two of us, Akari would be outmatched. Plus add in the difference in ninja rank, experience, and your sharingan, the girl is hardly a threat," he remarks as he scratches his ear.

A smirk makes its way onto the young man's face. "I bet she's planning on getting payback for what I did at the dango shop. It'll probably be something pathetic that I can easily avoid now that I'm prepared for it."

"Never underestimate your enemy Hideo," Toshio scolds causing the young man to give him a look that says 'you're one to talk.'

After writing a quick response, Hideo sends the falcon back to Akari then goes to his room to change out of his ANBU uniform and into a flak jacket. The extra armor and sword are unnecessary for the spar with his friend.

Fighting a yawn, Hideo glances over at the clock to see that he still has plenty of time before he meets Akari. Taking the opportunity to relax, Hideo walks over to his bed and lies down on his stomach. He allows his eyes to drift closed so he can enjoy this peaceful moment to its fullest.

Something cold and wet presses into Hideo's hand which had been hanging over the edge of the bed. The sensation of Toshio's nose touching his hand causes the young man to rouse silently from his unintentional slumber, but Hideo refuses to move from the comfort of his warm bed. His lack of response makes Toshio nip his hand.

There's a sudden noise in the other room. It's faint, but immediately has Hideo's attention. Sitting up, the now completely alert Uchiha pulls a kunai out from under his pillow and noiselessly makes his way to his bedroom door. Pressing his body against the wall, he listens for the intruder and hears footsteps heading towards his room. The footsteps are light, indicating that the person in his house is a ninja as well.

The instant his door opens, Hideo is behind the intruder and holding the kunai to their throat. The person is shorter than him, coming up to only his chin, and their closeness forces Hideo to inhale their scent. _Her_ familiar scent.

Lowering his kunai, Hideo says in a slightly angry tone "You could've let me know it was you, Akari."

The young woman shoots a sheepish smile over her shoulder at the ANBU. "What? No –chan?"

"I'm not very happy with you at the moment," he responds dryly. "You did something incredibly stupid by sneaking into my house. If I hadn't recognized your scent, I could've hurt you or even worse, killed you."

As he walks around her, Akari grabs his arm and turns him around. "Well, I'm not happy with you either. If you answered the door before I knocked for the hundredth time, I wouldn't have had to sneak in through your window."

Hideo inwardly smacks his forehead. He'd left his window open after sending Akari's falcon back to her. Anyone could've come in. In addition to that, he hadn't woken up when Akari knocked. If he's that tired, perhaps he really is working too much.

Pushing the thoughts away for now, Hideo regards the jounin calmly. "Are you ready to train now?"

Akari rolls her eyes and releases his arm. "Yeah, I just need to use your bathroom first."

Hideo nods and his friend leaves the room. Behind him, Toshio snorts.

"You're an idiot," the canine mutters loud enough for his master to hear. The raven haired ANBU turns around as a sign for Toshi to clarify. "Did you not see the bag Akari-chan had with her?" the midnight blue dog asks as he tilts his head.

Hideo frowns at Toshio, telling the canine that he failed to notice. "She wasn't wearing her flak jacket. Maybe her gear was in it," the Uchiha suggests uncertainly.

Toshio shrugs. "Maybe, but keep in mind that she's out for revenge in your little game. I'd regard her carefully if I were you."

Glancing behind him at the door, Hideo wonders what exactly his friend is planning. Shaking his head, the man walks over to his bedroom window to gaze outside as he ponders what Akari is up to. Perhaps, she'll wait for some villagers or fellow ninja to pass them as they spar then allow him to pin her to a tree. Akari could easily make it appear as if he's doing more to her than securing her so she can't attack him. Or maybe she'll have some of her falcons slash at his clothes with their talons until they fall off. The experience of standing in the middle of the training grounds completely exposed would certainly humiliate him. But that doesn't explain the bag she was carrying.

"She's taking too long," Toshio murmurs to himself. However, Hideo hears it and mutters, "Aa."

Twirling the kunai in his hand impatiently, the Uchiha calls out for his friend. "What's taking you so long…Akari…chan?" his voice trails off as he turns around to find the jounin standing almost unsure of herself at his door. But it's what she's wearing that surprises him enough to uncharacteristically drop his kunai so it lands with a thud on the wooden floor.

No matter how much he prepared for Akari's revenge, he never would've thought she'd do something like this. Instead of donning her flak jacket as he expected, Akari has returned wearing a rather short (not to mention revealing) skirt that doesn't even come close to reaching her knees. Hideo can't prevent his eyes from staring at her long legs and traveling up her body, hugging her curves just as her small, tight t-shirt does. The Uchiha's dark orbs linger slightly longer on the smooth, bare plains of Akari's tone stomach before traveling up the rest of her body to her face.

Despite her bold attempt to beat him in their game, Akari's stance is one of uneasiness. Standing before the person she looks up to as an older brother figure clad in such an outfit is rather difficult and embarrassing for her. The jounin's face is still so innocent that it pushes the ANBU over the edge.

He'd only looked at her for a second or two, but the blood quickly rushes to his nose anyway. Spinning around, Hideo inwardly curses as his hand shoots up in a desperate attempt to hide his nosebleed. Akari has gone much farther than either of them in their little game. If there were rules or boundaries, she certainly just crossed them. What happened to the Akari that depended on him when she was scared? What happened to the little girl he promised to protect all those years ago? Had he been so oblivious that he didn't realize she's now a grown up instead of an innocent child?

Hideo squeezes his eyes tightly shut, but it seems that the image of his friend has burned itself to the back of his eyelids against his will. Although he's upset with her for playing such a trick on him, Hideo hates himself even more for reacting in such a way. Doing his best to recover, the Uchiha cautiously lowers his hand from his nose now that he has his nosebleed under control. Taking a deep breath, he calms himself enough to speak. But no matter how composed he is, he can't bring himself to face her again.

"I don't think that's acceptable for training," he states monotonously.

"No, it is," Akari responds (surprisingly) nonchalantly.

"It's impractical."

"So you don't like it?" Her voice is alluring and much closer than it should be. He can feel her presence behind him now. He'd been so out of it, he didn't realize she'd been approaching him. The raven haired man remains silent in response to her question.

A finger lands lightly on his shoulder, making Hideo tense instinctively. Akari's fingers trail down his shoulder blades and back sensually as she speaks again.

"There's no reason to be tense, Hideo-kun." She purrs his name close to his ear and he needs to clench his teeth to prevent himself from facing her. She caught him completely off guard and it's too late for him recover now. "This _was_ my revenge, but I really do need your help for my training."

Hideo can only grunt in reply.

"Please Hideo-kun," Akari murmurs quietly. "I'm not comfortable with this either, but as a kunoichi, I need to be able to seduce enemies for information if required to during missions. Hoshi and I are both taking classes to ensure we master this skill."

Akari can practically feel Hideo's aura change at the mention of her and his sister taking a class in order to learn the art of seduction. In an attempt to calm her friend, Akari forces his body to turn towards her and hugs him around the middle as she buries her face into his chest. She can feel him go rigid from the contact and she frowns.

"I don't like it either, but it's necessary. And I figured that if I can get a reaction out of you, the emotionless Uchiha, then I'm doing pretty well," she says half jokingly. "If I'm comfortable with you, Hideo-kun, then I'm sure to complete my missions without messing up and paying dearly for it. Please Hideo-kun, you'd really be helping me a lot."

In response to her pleas, Hideo remains silent and doesn't relax in her hold at all. He'd unwittingly played into her hands when he agreed to help her train earlier. It's too late for him to back out of it now that he's so deeply involved.

Sighing, Akari pulls away from him when he's silent for too long. "I guess I'll just have to ask one of the Hyuuga. They're pretty emotionless too."

Immediately, Hideo reaches out and grabs her wrist to prevent her from leaving. She looks up at him with curiosity in her eyes that Hideo doesn't catch because he's making sure his eyes are looking out the window and away from her.

"No," he mutters. It's only one word, but Akari understands what her friend means. He'll help her, but isn't pleased about it. "Just don't tell anyone," the ANBU remarks as he releases his grip on her wrist.

The brunette smiles softly and lifts a hand to touch his face. Reluctantly, the male's gaze shifts to her.

"I won't tell as long as you don't. Tousan wouldn't be happy if he found out."

Hideo nods in understanding and continues to stare at her. After an awkward moment of silence in which Akari fidgets nervously, Hideo's eyes become softer and flick down to her lips a few times. The brunette's heart starts pounding against her ribcage as he observes her through his lashes. Withdrawing her hand from his cheek, Akari nearly backs away from her friend as his head lowers and the gap between their faces grows smaller.

Akari's eyes widen as obsidian eyes lock with her own blue ones. Then, she catches a spark of amusement before Hideo's mouth goes to her ear instead of her lips.

"I'm not as easy as you think, Akari-chan," he purrs huskily, his lips unintentionally brushing the shell of her ear. "I'll admit you caught me off guard this time, but I can guarantee that it won't be so simple to get a reaction out of me next time. You did well with your revenge, but I'll still always win." Pulling away, the twenty year-old smirks smugly at the young woman.

"How is it that you always seem to beat me in this little game of ours?" she asks out of curiosity.

Hideo shrugs. "Sometimes the simplest plans work the best. To be honest, I usually come up with them on the spot when the opportunity arises like at the dango shop or just now for example. They work surprisingly better than all of your thought out plans. It's hard to prepare for a spontaneous attack because the person doesn't even know they're going to do it until that very moment."

The medic playfully punches the older male as she pouts. Hideo brings up his hand to ruffle her hair in a sibling like fashion. He hates to admit it, but if she wasn't so nervous, Akari would probably be able to seduce anyone, himself included. An important skill when on such a mission, but definitely something Hideo wouldn't allow her or his sister to do if it was up to him.

"You just have a natural talent for everything you do. I bet you could actually teach me a few things in seduction," Akari teases as she continues to discuss the fact that Hideo constantly beats her in their game. "I'm sure you've been sent on a few of those types of missions," she adds with a playful poke to the man's side.

Hideo's face contorts in mild disgust and his cheeks become slightly stained with a blush. "I have," he admits in a gruff tone. "Apparently, I'm so effective that Hokage-sama is considering teaching me the oiroke no jutsu **(2) **so I can seduce males as well."

The statement causes Akari to burst into a fit of laughter which Hideo responds to by glaring as his blush intensifies. Eventually, he can't take his friends giggles anymore and mutters an angry "It's not funny." The remark only results in Akari laughing ever harder and agreeing that it's not funny, but hilarious.

"I better leave," she manages to say through her giggles. "Kaasan wanted me to help out at the hospital since they've been getting so many patients lately."

Growing up with a mother who is a medic ninja, Akari learned basic medical jutsu and with every ninja squad needing a medic, it became obvious that the brunette would become one. It allowed her to heal her family members, friends, and teammates after training or during missions.

It's become common for Akari to help out at the hospital. She only knows the basics, but she often heals those with minor wounds when she has free time so the doctors can address more serious situations. Sometimes, she'll even help train beginning medic ninja so those with more skill can focus on other important matters until the new medics are ready to advance to something more challenging.

When Akari turns to leave, Hideo stops her once more. "Change first."

The order makes her smile. "Yes, Oniisan."

The term makes a knot form in the Uchiha's stomach that gives him mixed feelings. Although he's happy that Akari looks up to him and their close bond is strong, for some reason, her calling him 'oniisan' makes him feel almost ill. Most likely because she just tried to seduce him. When the young woman leaves to change in his bathroom, Toshio makes to speak.

"Shut up Toshi," Hideo mutters before his companion can get in a word.

"You're bordering on incest here, Hideo," the dog remarks anyway. "She sees you as only an older brother figure, hence the term. And according to your behavior towards her earlier, it's difficult to believe that your teasing is innocent fun."

Hideo looks up at the ceiling and glares at it. "My affections are merely platonic. It's bad enough that I care for her. It interferes with my job as a ninja to have such sentiments. It makes me weak," he says in the same composed, monotonous tone her used before. "I'm just looking out for her. I won't let her go to a teme like Hyuuga to practice her seduction skills."

Toshio quirks a brow. "Since when is Hyuuga a bastard?"

"Since he became a hormonal male who can't keep it in his pants," he growls in reply. "I'm protecting her from emotional pain and if Akari goes to him or any other male for that matter, she's pretty much asking for it. I hated seeing Norio hurt in such a way so I'm not about to break my promise after all these years and let her feel the same pain as Norio if I can help it."

Toshio can practically see the gears in Hideo's head turning as thoughts race through his mind. He's planning something and it'll most likely result in Hideo doing something foolish. The midnight blue dog comes to stand beside his partner and nudges his hand with his muzzle. Hideo's hand comes to pat the dog's head as he tears his stare from the ceiling to look at Toshi.

"Hideo, I saw how you acted around Akari-chan just now," the midnight blue dog remarks. "I saw you flirt with her. I can smell how strongly you two feel for each other. You can't tell me that there's nothing between the two of you. I agree that, right now, all that there is between you is friendship, but I think your relationship might be too strong to remain that way."

Hideo sighs as he runs his free hand through his messy, black hair. "Like I said before, I was caught off guard. And my teasing can hardly be called flirting. What you smelled was just embarrassment on the parts of both me and Akari-chan."

Toshio studies his companion's face and is aware of the barely noticeable hue that has yet to fade from the man's cheeks. To be honest, the blush is the only sign other than Hideo's flirting and onetime nosebleed that signal that the ANBU has feelings besides companionship for his brown haired friend. The Uchiha is never nervous around the female and is generally laid back like he is around all of his other friends. Although he tolerates physical contact with Akari, Hideo still doesn't seem completely at ease with it. The rare smiles he gives her mean nothing either. Like the attention he gives her, it only shows that Hideo is more content with her than his fangirls which is to be expected.

"And Toshi," the raven haired male says, getting the dog's attention. "If you tell anyone about how I reacted earlier, I will personally castrate you."

Despite knowing it's an empty threat, the canine laughs nervously as he promises not to breathe a word about what happened.

* * *

**(1) For Hoshi's tattoo, the star was used because that's what her name means. I had trouble finally coming up with this tattoo and I'm not quite sure if I like it. It'd be better if I could actually see it, but what am I gonna do. The idea for a flaming star came from the Uchiha's skill with fire style jutsu.**

**(2) Oiroke no jutsu is Naruto's sexy jutsu for those who are unaware of the Japanese name for the technique. For those who have no clue what I'm talking about in general, you really need to read the manga or watch the anime. It's a jutsu in which a ninja (Naruto) transforms into a nude, appealing young woman. Of course, Hideo would be wearing clothes if he were to ever use it. It'd be embarrassing enough for him to actually use the jutsu.**

**Hey, I know you've got something to say so please review! Love it? Hate it? Let me know. I don't like being kept in the dark.**


	9. Added Complications

**Hey, I've **_**finally**_** updated! I hope this was worth the wait. I struggled a little with the title of the chapter, but it'll have to do. I'll cut the crap and go right to the story now since you're probably already sick of waiting.**

* * *

**Added Complications**

He can sense that she's still there, but he doesn't lift his head to acknowledge her. Hideo needs to finish his mission report and lately, Kanae has made it her job to disturb him at the most inopportune moments which leave him in a rather annoyed mood. To make matters worse, Akari is waiting patiently behind him while his old teammate stands in front of him after complaining about the other ex-member of their genin squad. The thing that annoys Hideo most, however, is that both these women somehow entered his home without him letting either inside. He makes a mental note to change the locks and set up other ways to keep unwanted visitors out of his home. Perhaps some booby traps that involve freshly sharpened kunai or several katana.

Kanae growls in irritation as she slams her hands down on Hideo's table in an effort to shift his attention from his report to her instead. Sighing, the young man lifts his head and stares back at her impassively.

"Fine," Kanae grumbles. "If you're not going to say anything, I'm going to just force you to help me."

Hideo quirks an eyebrow while at his feet, Toshio cocks his head in curiosity.

"You're going to force me?" the raven haired man asks. He finds this threat ridiculous. Kanae couldn't possibly force him to do anything.

Still, the woman nods and a smirk comes across her face. Hideo watches her carefully as she straightens and walks around the table to stand beside him.

Leaning forward, Kanae whispers in his ear, "You will help me, Hideo-kun, because you won't be able to stop me."

Any confusion that Hideo is feeling doesn't make it to his face. His expression is completely void as Kanae ruffles his dark hair as if he were a child before departing. Glancing down at Toshi, the raven haired ANBU finds that his canine companion isn't able to offer any help.

Releasing a frustrated sigh, Hideo closes his eyes and massages his temples to ease his headache. Unexpectedly, hands come to rest on his shoulders and try to work out the tension. Thinking the Uchiha had forgotten about her, Akari is making her presence known.

"What's wrong Hideo-kun?" Akari purrs in his ear.

Hideo groans. He really doesn't need this right now. "Not now Akari. I'm busy."

He can practically see the young woman's smile as she wraps her arms around his neck from behind. Her fingertips just brush the fabric of his shirt and Akari notices the muscles in Hideo's jaw twitch from her feather light touch to his chest. He's growing even more annoyed by her actions, but the medic can tell that beneath that he's finding pleasure in her ministrations, whether he likes it or not. When Akari slowly moves her hands into his dark hair, Hideo squeezes his eyes shut as she starts massaging his scalp.

'Damn that feels good,' Hideo can't help but think to himself as he bites down hard on his lip.

Then, Akari's hands slip out of his hair and gently brush his shoulder as she comes to stand before him. Opening his black orbs, they lock with Akari's blue ones. Her mouth forms a coy smile. The same one that he taught her in their lessons. But right now, he's regretting teaching it to her because it's causing his heart beat to increase ever so faintly and make a strange feeling settle in his stomach because it looks so…

"Sexy," Akari breathes as she studies his newly ruffled hair.

Naughty. That's the only word that he can think of to describe Akari at the moment. That plus the fact that she's just called him 'sexy' brings a slight hue to Hideo's cheeks. Insignificant if it was anyone else, but the reaction pleases Akari.

Continuing to smile at the young man, she slides onto his lap so she's straddling him. Squeezing his eyes shut again, Hideo fights back a groan as Akari nuzzles into the crook of his neck. The soft nip to his sensitive spot sends him into an internal frenzy. She's so close and her scent is invading his senses. Akari's lips move slowly along his neck as if begging him to join in and return the affection. A tiny voice in the back of Hideo's mind tells him this is wrong and he needs to stop her, but the strange feeling in the pit of his stomach is overpowering. He needs her to get even closer.

A bite is delivered to Hideo's leg which makes the Uchiha snap back to reality long enough to give his attention to Toshi. The dog has yet to move out from under the table. Desperation is seen in the canine's eyes as he tries to convey a message to his partner. Realization grips the Uchiha in an instant and he momentarily wonders when his hands came to grip Akari's hips before getting back to the situation at hand. He clears his throat.

"Why are you here, Akari?" he forces out.

Pulling away, the jounin smiles at him. "I'm getting better," she announces although she doesn't need to tell Hideo. "I actually got you to blush and you're all flustered and-"

"What are you here for?" Hideo asks again, cutting off his friend from saying anything more.

"I just got back from my first mission," she exclaims.

Hideo finds her enthusiasm a bit puzzling. "You've gone on missions before," he remarks dryly.

"But this was my first seduction mission and it was a success!"

Oh. That makes sense. "Congratulations."

The brunette rises from her seat on his lap and crosses her arms. "That's all you have to say?" she asks as she gives him a half-hearted glare.

The Sharingan user shrugs as he picks up his pen to continue writing his mission report. In response to his indifference, Akari rolls her eyes.

"Well, my comrades thought I did a good job," she mutters. "Hyuuga Joji is even going to treat me to barbeque."

Hideo's pen immediately freezes. "Hyuuga is taking you out?" he questions.

The brunette misses the faint disbelief in the genius's tone and responds without wavering. "Yeah, I believe that's what I just said. You want to come?"

"I'm busy," the raven haired ANBU nearly huffs. "Besides, I don't think Hyuuga would be pleased to suddenly have to treat someone to whom he never even extended the invitation."

Toshio inwardly groans at his companion's statement. Hideo always seems to resort to speaking in what the dog sees a strange manner whenever he tries to make it appear that nothing's bothering him. He speaks in an overly professional manner and his words sound as if they're being stringed together by someone with nothing better to do. Akari doesn't seem to take any notice however.

"Okay, I'll see you later then," she remarks before leaving the room.

The moment the front door closes the pen in Hideo's hand snaps in two and Toshio flinches as his companion's writing utensil falls to the floor.

* * *

"You're going to burn a hole in the wall, Nissan," Hoshi states as she observes her brother's glare.

All Hideo does in response is grunt and continue trying to kill inanimate objects with the daggers shooting from his eyes. It's actually startling that the older Uchiha's sharingan hasn't activated yet.

"Jeez," the jounin mutters before turning to Hayato who is standing beside her. "You'd think he wanted to get revenge for someone putting Toshi up in flames."

Although Hayato barely tenses at the mention of revenge, Hoshi catches it. She knows her father's story and she's not surprised that Hayato is still affected by certain words. The brown haired ANBU witnessed her uncle become consumed by revenge and try to destroy his bonds with his friends. Hayato knows the consequences of seeking vengeance and doesn't want it to grip Hideo.

The Tsuki family had come over for dinner since it'd been a while since they spent time with the four Uchiha. The younger of the twins, Suzume, is in the kitchen helping Sorami cook while Hana tries to help as she argues that she can cook just fine. Meanwhile, Kane is discussing various jutsu with Hayato and Itachi both of whom become a little uncomfortable at the mention of revenge. This leaves Hoshi and Kazuki to deal with Hideo. The dark haired ANBU is currently leaning against the wall and his glare is unwavering. His companion, who is ever present by his side, is spending his free time lounging at Hideo's feet. Toshio is not nearly as upset as his master. Hoshi assumes that the two are disturbed by the fact that one person is still missing from the two families.

"Dinner is almost ready," Kazuki murmurs as he peers up at his partner. "Someone should probably find Akari-chan and bring her here so we don't have to wait for her and let the food get cold."

"Hn," Hideo grunts as he pushes himself off the wall. "I'll do it," he mutters before passing the other and heading out to search the village for his friend.

Hoshi smiles to herself before sharing looks with the other females. "Why doesn't that surprise me?"

Once Hideo and Toshio get outside, the Uchiha makes the necessary hand signs to perform the shadow clone jutsu. Several puffs of smoke appear before dispersing and revealing five identical Hideo's excluding a Toshi by the side of four of them. One of the five dark haired ANBU gives the others a nod and the four are gone in a flash, leaving the real Hideo behind with Toshi.

Toshi remains silent as Hideo unconsciously tilts his head thoughtfully. His dark eyes seem to study the area around him very carefully before he mutters something unintelligibly under his breath and starts walking to the exit of the Uchiha compound. Sighing, the midnight blue dog trots after him and falls into step beside his partner. Toshio observes his master as the two silently wander through the streets of the village. Hideo's eyes are distant and unfocused but at the same time, the man is fully aware of his surroundings. Whatever the Uchiha is thinking, Toshio can see a touch of anger just below the surface.

Suddenly, the raven haired man comes to a stop and heaves a sigh as he closes his eyes and tilts his head back to look up at the sky. The sun is low in the sky as night approaches with each passing moment.

"She's becoming rather annoying, Toshi," Hideo murmurs. Although the ANBU addresses his companion, he seems to be speaking more to himself. "She's getting reactions out of me and awakening my hormones. If she keeps it up, I may do something we both will regret. I'm starting to lose control and I hate it."

Toshio looks down at his friend's leg sorrowfully. The same leg he'd bitten to bring Hideo back to reality.

"I know," the canine response softly. "You hate that she's forcing you to experience unwanted feelings and that it's wrong because it's making your relationship appear to be more than friendship, ne?"

Hideo pinches the bridge of his nose. "It's difficult for me to explain, but yes, that's the idea. But it's more than that too."

Toshi tilts his head and waits patiently for the Sharingan user to continue.

"I shouldn't have just let Akari leave like that when she told me about Hyuuga treating her to barbeque." The canine can hear the anger in Hideo's voice. Anger aimed at himself more than anything. "I'm supposed to watch out for her and she's been gone for hours. Who knows what could've happened to make her stay out so long. Her family doesn't know where she is and it's my fault because I should've kept an eye on her."

The dog nods in understanding. "You're afraid Hyuuga took advantage of her."

Hideo looks down at his partner when he recognizes that Toshi made a statement, not a question. Then, Hideo's head snaps up to look somewhere to his right. One of his shadow clones has found Akari.

"Let's put it this way," Hideo murmurs. "If anything happened to her, I'll be getting an earful from my aunt for sending someone to the hospital in critical condition."

Toshi chuckles before the two take off in the direction Akari was spotted. When they near the area, the duo slows to a walk. Hideo sends chakra to his nose in order to assist Toshi in sniffing out their female friend. After a moment of tracking, another familiar scent reaches Hideo's nostrils causing him to cease his search briefly.

"Hey, they're right up ahead," Toshi announces when he sees Akari and Hyuuga Joji walking a several feet before him and Hideo.

When the raven haired male doesn't respond, the canine glances behind him to find Kanae clinging to the Uchiha's arm. Hideo regards his ex-teammate with a bewildered expression.

"What are you doing, Kanae?"

A false smile is plastered on the woman's face as she slips her hand into Hideo's larger one.

"I told you. You're going to help me whether you like it or not," she states quietly so only Hideo can hear before raising her voice so the few people still walking the streets can hear her. "Thanks for taking me out, Hideo-kun. I had a lot of fun."

Before Hideo can protest, Kanae swiftly kisses his cheek. Caught by surprise, the Uchiha can't suppress the red hue that quickly spreads across his cheeks due to his embarrassment. Kanae giggles at his expression.

"You're so cute, Hideo-kun. I'm glad I agreed to go out with you," she continues. "But you could at least show some affection in public."

Hideo looks down at Toshi with wide eyes before Kanae places another kiss on his cheek. This one lingers a bit longer than the first though.

"We'll work on it. See you later, Hideo-kun," she states before waving at her incredibly mortified friend and leaving him dumbfounded in the middle of the street.

Hideo blinks dumbly a few times as his mind is thrown into overdrive to figure out what just occurred. His thoughts are disrupted, however, when someone calls his name.

"Hideo-kun!"

The sharingan user turns his head in the direction of the voice to see Akari coming towards him with a somewhat reluctant Hyuuga Joji following close behind. It seems that Hideo's mere presence is enough to tear Akari away from the other male. She'd rather hang out with the Uchiha than anyone else, a fact of which Hideo makes a mental note. The genius also finds himself rather pleased to find that Joji doesn't appear to be happy about his sudden arrival.

"Hyuuga," Hideo greets with a polite nod as Akari comes to stand beside him.

A muscle twitches in the other male's jaw as his eyes follow the brunette leaving him for the Uchiha's company. Hideo raises an eyebrow at Joji.

"Uchiha," the byakugan user finally murmurs in response.

Akari rolls her eyes at the behavior of the two males before giving Hideo her attention.

"So what are you doing here Hideo-kun?" she asks with a smile. Hideo notices the poorly hidden resentment beneath the Hyuuga's composed mask. He fails to see why it's even there.

"You've been gone for hours and no one had a clue where you were," Hideo response with a hint of annoyance in his voice. "Someone needed to come find you so you'd be made aware of the dinner our parents set up for both of our families."

Akari smiles at him. "And you brought it upon yourself to make sure nothing happened to me. That's very sweet, Hideo-kun," the medic teases.

"Whatever," the Uchiha grumbles almost inaudibly. Toshio sniggers at the comment.

"We're going to be late, Akari," Hideo mutters in annoyance to his friend.

Akari rolls her eyes again before turning to Joji. "I had fun today, Joji-san. We'll see you later," she says as she gives a friendly wave.

The Hyuuga smiles softly in return. "It was my pleasure, Akari-san."

While the brunette turns to walk away, the two males become locked in a staring contest. When Akari calls Hideo's name, the ANBU hesitates momentarily before moving to follow her. His sharp hearing catches Joji utter something under his breath and in an instant, the Uchiha's head snaps back to face the young man. His eyes are blazing with the sharingan and Toshio snarls angrily. All this causes the Hyuuga to recoil involuntarily.

"What did you call me?" His tone is dark and intimidating.

Joji hesitates, but gathers himself enough to repeat the name. "Manko." **(1)**

Toshi snarls again and snaps his teeth viciously as Hideo's glare intensifies.

"That's a bit uncalled for, don't you think?" Hideo questions.

Joji shrugs. "There are so many other things I could've called the son of a traitorous bastard. Why don't you just do us all a favor by running off like your good for nothing father and not defiling women such as that old teammate of yours and Akari-chan with your asinine activities or by attempting to satisfy your sexual desires?"

The result is instantaneous. The ANBU has already armed himself with a kunai before the Hyuuga even had time to blink. Meanwhile, Toshi is waiting impatiently for his partner to give him the signal and allow him to rip the other ninja to shreds.

"You know, I try to see your point of view on things so I can understand why you regard me in such a hateful manner, but…" Hideo growls. "I can't get my head that far up my ass."

Before Joji can react and anything else can happen, the Uchiha senses Akari approaching to see what's going on and forces himself to let the insults go for now as not to make a scene.

"We'll settle this some other time," he reluctantly states as he slips his kunai back into his weapons pack.

Turning on his heel, Hideo walks over to a bewildered Akari. Seeing the barely restrained rage on his face, the brunette follows her friend as he storms passed her and asks what happened. Once they turn the corner and the Hyuuga is no longer in site, the raven haired man takes a deep breath in an effort to calm himself. However, Toshi is still riled up and doesn't even pause before answering their friend's question.

"Baka yaro **(2)**." Try as he might, the Uchiha can't manage to calm himself enough to prevent anger from seeping into his tone. His sharingan is still spinning due to his fury.

"I don't understand why you two can't be civil towards one another," Akari utters quietly.

The ANBU's dark eyes flick in her direction. "I was perfectly civil until _he_ began insulting me. Our clans have never really been on the best of terms either."

The gentle touch to his clenched fist startles the sharingan user, but he hides it well as he comes to a stop. His glare melts away and is replaced by disappointment which Akari can see despite the raven haired male's blank mask. He let the other man get to him and bring out the worst in him. Understanding why he's disappointed in himself, the brunette tries to cheer him up.

"I'm actually surprised that you were able to walk away, Hideo-kun." The young man glances over at his friend again while Toshio tilts his head in curiosity. "It must've taken every ounce of your Uchiha blood to keep your Inuzuka half from lashing out, no matter how much Joji deserved it. Your self control is amazing. You never fail to impress me."

A hint of surprise shows on Hideo's face while Akari just smiles up at him. As the compliment sinks in, a light blush creeps onto the Uchiha's face for which he mentally scolds himself and looks away. Although he senses Akari moving in front of him, he doesn't react until he feels something touch his headband. Confused, Hideo looks back at Akari to find the jounin lifting up his headband to reveal his forehead as she stands on her tiptoes. His still red eyes widen as they register what she's going to do before it even occurs. Although he's read her movements, Hideo can't bring himself to move as the medic gently kisses his exposed forehead before readjusting his headband and taking a step back.

"What was that for?" he asks.

"I'm just proud of you," she replies. "Could you please deactivate your sharingan though?"

Smiling slightly in embarrassment, the Uchiha allows his eyes to return to their normal onyx. Then, Akari's friendly expression quickly twists into a teasing one when she suddenly remembers something.

"Actually, I'm saddened that you and Kanae are now an item. I can't believe you'd go behind Norio's back like that and go on a date with the girl he likes."

The ghost of a smile on the raven haired man's face is gone instantly. "You know that's not what happened. Kanae is trying to piss off Norio off and now I'm gonna have to go on an extended mission just to avoid Norio and stay away from Kanae. Those two are dragging me into their little "non"-lover's spat. To make matters worse, Hyuuga saw us. He's going to jump on the opportunity to stomp my reputation into the dirt and turn my friends against me. And to think, you just went on a date with the guy."

"I didn't go on a date with Joji!" Akari protests.

The sharingan user smirks at this and the medic can see the bitterness behind it. "He treated you to lunch hours ago. Afterwards, you two wandered around the village doing Kami knows what. You enjoyed the time you spent with him which I think it's safe to assume was mainly polite conversation in which Hyuuga was nicer than usual and even smiled a few times."

Akari gapes at her friend momentarily before the fact sinks in. "No way. How could I not have realized?! Thank Kami you came along or who knows what would've happened! Why didn't anyone tell me?!"

An arm comes around the jounin's shoulders in a comforting fashion causing Akari to cease freaking out and turn her attention back to her friend. His expression is surprisingly warm.

"Everyone probably figured it was rather obvious. Hell, I wasn't even there and I knew exactly how that bastard behaved. But, don't worry. It's part of my duty to make sure nothing happens to you and I don't intend to throw my obligations out the window. "

Noticing they've been standing around far too long, the two begin walking to the Uchiha compound for dinner while Toshi leads the way. As they stroll down the streets, Hideo's arm doesn't move from its position Akari's shoulders giving the medic a feeling of security. She feels as if her big brother is protecting her while Hideo finds his ghost of a smile returning because once again, he feels as if he's needed and his friend's presence provides him with comfort.

Feeling Akari staring at him, Hideo sighs. "What now?"

"Nothing. It's just…" She trails off for a moment to gather her words. "I like you so much better this way. Showing your emotions. It reminds me of your half that you hide from the world, but I know is still in there somewhere. I wish I got to see this side of you more often, that's all. I really miss the old you. The one who always had that special flicker in his eyes. I haven't seen it in so long."

Hideo's eyes had been following Toshio's movements, but now they've fallen to the ground and they flash with something similar to shame. His gut twists as he's torn between what's best for the village and what makes his friend happy. He's grown so accustom to keeping his emotions secret and bottled up that it's become foreign and strange to express them. Yet when he does, it seems that his presence becomes more enjoyable. But at the same time, his reputation takes a blow because of it.

As they approach his parents' house, Hideo lets his arm fall from Akari's shoulders and the young woman immediately misses the warm. Even as they enter and join in the gathering. Even as Akari laughs with Hoshi and share jokes and stories with her siblings and friends, a part of her remains a bit cold. Throughout the meal, her blue eyes would come up to glance at Hideo only for their eyes to lock. Obsidian clashes with cerulean before Kane addresses Hideo, forcing the Uchiha to break the connection.

Before they know it, dinner is over and it's time for everyone to go their separate ways. Just before Akari leaves the compound, someone seizes her wrist.

"You weren't going to leave without telling me good-bye, were you?"

The young woman peers over her shoulder at Hideo who's expression has changed slightly unlike over the course of the meal. It's friendlier and almost mischievous. Then, his phantom smile appears and her body becomes warm once more. Happy, Akari turns around to face him completely before catching the male off guard and wrapping her arms around his torso in a hug.

"See you later, Hideo-kun."

Seeing no witnesses, the Uchiha allows his features to soften as he places a hand on top of Akari's head.

"Aa." For a moment, nothing else is said. Then surprisingly, Hideo is the one to break the silence. "Can you do me a favor?" he asks quietly. Feeling his friend nod against his chest, he continues. "Please don't go on another date with Hyuuga."

Akari giggles and lifts her head. "Jealous now, are we?"

A teasing smile finds its way onto Hideo's face. "So what if I am?"

"Trust me, Hideo-kun. I don't want to date Joji. I have no interest in him." Akari looks away from him, afraid to meet his eyes. Hideo is confused by her behavior, but mentally shrugs it off because her reply satisfies him.

"Thank you." Deciding to get payback for earlier, Hideo leans down to place a friendly kiss on the medic's forehead. His lips linger a little longer than probably should, but he doesn't care at the moment. Since it's dark, the Uchiha misses the blush that takes over the brunette's face when he pulls away. "Good night, Akari-chan."

Akari is vaguely aware of the sharingan user pulling completely out of her embrace and heading into the compound in the direction of his home with Toshi trotting slightly at his side to keep up with his companion's long strides. She stares at the red and white fan on the back of Hideo's navy blue shirt. The medic blushes an even deeper shade of red when she realize she's wondering what that fan would look like on her own back. Such thoughts are ridiculous, but for some reason, Akari still finds herself smiling at them.

"Are you still going to deny that there's something between you two?"

And just like that, the moment is broken.

"Shut up, Hoshi."

* * *

**Yeah so there was a bit of name calling in Japanese. I feel sort of paranoid typing it in English now because my family can understand it if they just happened to be reading over my shoulder.**

**(1) Manko – to put it bluntly, Hyuuga Joji called Hideo a pussy. Then he goes further to bring up the whole traitor thing to piss of the Uchiha even more.**

**(2) Baka Yaro – in an attempt to vent some of his anger, Hideo says Joji is a stupid bastard.**

**Oh and Kami means God for those who aren't aware.**

**By the way, I've got a poll up on my profile. You'll probably have no clue who the character is that it concerns, but if you want to throw in your opinion, be my guest. Not many people have voted which to be honest is more than a little aggravating. If you have an interest in reading my other works, I suggest you read the Maximum Ride series. It's really good and so far the only other fanfics I've written are for those books. Anyway, I'll update when I can.**


	10. Protection?

**I had some trouble with this chapter, but there's not much I can do to make it the way I had originally thought. I had the basic ideas set, but I never worked out the entire scenes so this is the best I could do for this chapter.**

* * *

**Protection?**

Hideo crouches and peers from his position on a roof to the street below. Behind him, Toshio covers his back by keeping his eyes peeled for Norio while his partner vigilantly scans the crowded streets. The two have been making a point to stay clear of the older ninja after the encounter with Kanae several days earlier and performing their duties as Konoha shinobi has grown a bit more difficult because of it. Since Norio won't generally discuss his issues with Kanae in public, Hideo feels safe attending meetings called by the Rokudaime as long as he escapes before Norio gets the chance to get a hold of him so they can speak privately.

It's not that Hideo fears his ex-teammate. There's no doubt in his mind that he could handle Norio with or without using his sharingan. He would just prefer to completely stay out of the entire affair. He isn't bothered to admit that assisting, let alone understanding, Norio and Kanae's relationship exceeds his knowledge of such matters. In a way, he sort of prides himself in not knowing much about romantic relationships. To him, that means he's a devoted Konoha shinobi and a good ninja.

Careful, dark orbs lock on their target and a hint of a smirk appears on Hideo's face before his expression becomes completely void once more. Activating his bloodline trait, the Uchiha trains his attention mainly to the person's lips in order to read what they're saying. At the same time however, he takes notice of their body movement and all of this allows him to determine the next move of his target and develop a proper response.

As the ANBU quickly runs through his plan for this mission, his attention is captured by his target's companion. Reading the words formed by the person's lips, Hideo feels slightly unsettled while his target smiles at the comment. Hideo doesn't miss the predatory glint in the other's eyes that goes unnoticed by everyone else around him. The so called companion has just become a greater enemy in Hideo's eyes. Resisting the urge to just take care of this immediately (and rashly), Hideo forces himself to suppress his anger and deactivate his kekkei genkai.

After giving Toshi a gentle tap on the shoulder to signal they're going to move again, Hideo jumps over a few rooftops until arriving at his destination and going down to the street. Whether just an act to appear casual or as a force of habit, the Uchiha puts his hands in his pockets then heads down the road with Toshi not quite trotting beside him to keep up with his long strides.

Working his way through the busy street, Hideo finally catches sight of his target again. By now, his enemy is leaning towards his blushing target and wearing a suggestive smirk. In his pockets, Hideo's hands have formed fists. Meanwhile, Toshio can't see the scene due to his lower eye level, but sensing his friend's agitation, the dog bristles instinctively.

When Hideo places a comforting hand on Toshi's head, the dog looks up to meet his partner's eyes. The midnight blue canine can see the well guarded, but growing inner turmoil swirling within the Uchiha through those obsidian orbs. It's as if Hideo is begging for his partner to impart some wisdom as to why he feels so strange, but Toshi has no advice to give and can only wish there was something he could do to help.

"Hideo-kun!" their target suddenly exclaims as she catches sight of them.

Hideo's eyes immediately go blank as he looks up to see Akari hurrying over to him. Casting a quick glance at her friend, he sees the young man glaring in his direction as he too walks over.

"What are you doing here?" Akari asks with a smile. Hideo notices that she seems much happier talking to him than her date who is now standing beside her.

In response to her question, the sharingan user shrugs. "Just wandering."

The brunette quirks an eyebrow at his reply. "Really? Aren't you trying to stay clear of Norio though? What if you run into him?"

The genius already has his answer ready. "Norio won't bother me if I'm around other people. He doesn't want to drag others into his problems with Kanae."

His friend grins widely at him. "Then, I'll hang out with you so he doesn't bother you," she states.

It seems that Hideo's presence has made Akari completely forget about the other male she'd been with earlier because the medic grasps the Uchiha's hand and pulls him along, leaving the her date to stand in the middle of the street alone. Inwardly, Hideo smirks victoriously. Part one of his mission is a success. Now all he needs to do is ensure Akari's date knows exactly what he did wrong.

The next day, Hideo finds himself leaning against the trunk of a tree as he sits high up on one of its branches. The tree is located near Konoha hospital and if he were to open his eyes, he'd see right through one of the windows and into a room. Cracking an eye open, the Uchiha finds Akari's date from yesterday being treated by one of the medics. Apparently, he mysteriously acquired severe burns. Mysterious because the man has no recollection of how he got them after locking eyes with the sharingan. However, he does remember not to come near a certain kunoichi again.

Hideo stretches a bit before jumping down from the tree and landing smoothly on the ground below as if he'd gone down a mere step. This time, the smirk makes it to his face as one side of his mouth turns up.

'Mission accomplished.'

* * *

**A few weeks later…**

Hideo eyes the couple cautiously as they sit in the dango shop. This time, Akari's date is on guard. This particular male is nothing like the initial one he'd taken care off (not including Hyuuga Joji). He appears to actually have an interest in Akari unlike the first…how many has it been now? Eight or nine maybe? At least he doesn't need to keep the prospect of getting cornered by Norio in the back of his mind anymore. The older ninja had finally got the Uchiha after persuading Hoshi to help him out, although his sister didn't need much if any convincing. Once the two shinobi got to talking, Hideo explained that he has no interest in pursuing Kanae and that she just used him to anger the older male. Norio responded to that by releasing his confused thoughts and feeling onto the only person who'd listen at the time. Unfortunately, that person just had to be Hideo. It wasn't like he had much choice anyway. His sister had performed a rather powerful paralysis jutsu to ensure he wouldn't run off.

These thoughts cause Hideo to release a sigh. His conversation with Norio is not one he'd like to remember and he makes a mental note to never fall for anyone. From what he's heard so far, love is more trouble than it's worth. Settling things with Norio (for now at least) has also forced the sharingan user to regularly develop new excuses to pull Akari away from her dates.

Going back to the couple eating their dango, Hideo smirks to himself when he sees beads of sweat forming on the brow of Akari's date. He must be nervous which means he's probably heard the rumors about what happens to those who go out with the brown haired medic nin. Then, the young man takes hold of Akari's hand and Hideo thinks maybe he hasn't heard after all. When his friend gives her companion a smile, Hideo wishes he had Toshi with him so he could ask why it suddenly feels like he can't breathe properly. Pulling at the collar of his shirt, the sharingan user checks if his shirt is too tight and preventing air from flowing to his lungs.

As he does this, Hideo nearly misses Akari's date as he gives the brunette a gentle kiss on the lips. The Uchiha freezes as he studies Akari's reaction with wide eyes. She doesn't protest or push him away at all and the raven haired ANBU finds this fact disturbing. When the young man pulls away, Hideo can see that her smile is a bit forced and he doesn't know if he's bothered more by the fact that she didn't stop the kiss from happening when she didn't want it or that her date kissed her without her consent.

Since he can no longer stand by and watch, Hideo disappears from his hiding place with a flicker only to materialize at the entrance of the dango shop. Entering the small shop, his ears pick up the sound of Akari's laughter in an instant as if he's always eager to hear her voice. For some strange reason, hearing her laugh because of a joke someone else made causes a sick feeling to overcome the ANBU.

Slightly frustrated with himself, the raven stuffs his hands into his pockets with a little more force than necessary as he heads over to Akari's table. As Hideo draws nearer, yet before the shinobi even arrives, the medic recognizes his presence and twists her head around to smile widely at him. It appears she's as eager to concern herself with him as he is her. He finds this fact odd, but important enough to store in the depths of his mind should he ever need this little bit of knowledge.

The brunette greets him warmly when he stands before her table. He locks his eyes with hers in a silent form of acknowledgement which makes the medic worry. When she notices Hideo discreetly glance at her date, Akari nudges her companion. Offering a tentative smile, the young man greets the ANBU.

"Hello Uchiha-san." Hideo says nothing in return which results in the other man looking away.

Glancing around, Akari notices Toshi is absent and questions Hideo about it. Her question is met with silence as she sees Hideo's eyes cast another glance in her date's direction before staring straight at her. Shifting uncomfortably under her friend's gaze, she strives to get Hideo to speak.

"So what are you doing here?" Akari asks as she tries to control her voice so as not to alert the ANBU that she's nervous.

For whatever reason, the raven is unable to recall his plan and Hideo hesitates momentarily before feeling the paper in his pocket and remembering once more. Wordlessly, the Uchiha slips the paper out of his pocket and places it on the table in front of Akari. The jounin's brow knits together in confusion as she picks up the note and reads over it.

"It's a list," she says uncertainly causing her statement to be more of a question. Hideo's nod reassures her.

"Your mother wants you to pick up some groceries," he says, finally speaking for the first time since he entered the shop.

"Oh," she replies before turning to her companion and apologizing for having to cut their date short. The young man smiles and tells her it's fine. He offers to take her out again and Akari subtly glances at Hideo to find his expression impassive. Unknown to the young woman, the raven sees the flash of sadness in his friend's eyes before she smiles again and accepts her date's offer.

With that, Akari stands and heads out to take care of the task 'her mother' asked of her. As she leaves, she casts another look back at Hideo to find him still standing where she'd left him. Although his head hasn't turned at all, his dark eyes are watching her and he quirks an eyebrow as if asking why she stopped.

Hideo waits until Akari has left the dango shop before directing his gaze at the medic's new boyfriend. The young man fidgets nervously under the Uchiha's scrutiny as he fishes money out of his pocket to pay for the food.

"Based on my first impression of you," Hideo deadpans as he finally speaks to the other male. The man looks up with a confused expression to discover that the shinobi has closed his eyes. "You've either not heard the rumors going around or are incredibly dimwitted."

Hideo's eyes open lazily and the other man gasps upon locking eyes with blood red eyes.

"Y-you're the one stopping people from dating Akari-chan," he stutters.

In an instant, Hideo grabs the man by the front of the shirt and pulls him closer to his face as the name rings through his mind. "I guess that means you're just stupid then."

Tomoe spinning, the Uchiha sends Akari's boyfriend into a state of unconsciousness. Sighing, the raven deactivates his sharingan and hoists the limp body over his shoulder before leaving the dango shop.

About two hours later, he was dropping the same body (with the addition of a few burns and gashes) off at the hospital. Once the young man is taken elsewhere, Hideo is left to roam the halls in search of someone. In the end, it is she who finds him though.

"UCHIHA!"

Hideo doesn't even bother to suppress his grimace as he turns around to face the voice. Bowing respectfully, he politely says "Hello Tsunade-sama. I was hoping to find you."

The blonde's glare doesn't falter even the slightest as she walks towards him. "I've just been told of yet another burn victim," she states angrily. "I know it's you that's causing this."

"Yes, about that…I was wondering if you'd be so kind as to make sure my aunt, Sorami-san, and Akari-chan didn't get these victims as their patients," he pleads.

"Are you implying that there will be more?!" Tsunade asks the sharingan user.

Hideo holds his hands up defensively. "I'm hoping there won't be that many more. I just need to get my point across," he explains as calmly as he can. After all, he is speaking to one of the only two women who can throw Gamabunta all the way to Suna. The second would be his own aunt which is one of the reasons he'd like to keep his crusade a secret from the pink haired medic.

"And what point would that be, Uchiha?" the former hokage asks as she massages her temples.

Hideo opens his mouth, but words fail to come out. Why _is_ he doing this? It's to make sure Akari doesn't get hurt and end up like Norio or Kanae…isn't it? That's what he'd told himself in the beginning. But then why does he feel the anger building within him every time his friend goes out on another date? Is it because she's spending a lot of her free time with other guys and seems to have forgotten him?

Deciding to think about these issues later, the ANBU finally murmurs, "To keep Akari safe."

"So you're going to keep her safe by preventing her from finding happiness?" Tsunade questions with a quirked brow.

Hideo shakes his head, but there's a bit uncertainty in the action. "I'll know when the right one comes along. Then…I'll step aside." For some reason, Hideo finds it painful to say the last part.

* * *

For Hideo, the walk home is disturbed by frustrating thoughts. His mind is in a daze as he attempts to comprehend his behavior these past weeks. Still, he has enough sense to remove a few of Hoshi's fanboys that managed to enter the compound and were trying to sneak over to his sister's house. Finally arriving home, the ANBU unlocks his door and enters.

"Have fun marking your territory, Niisan?"

Hideo doesn't bother to suppress his sigh at his sister's voice. "How the hell do you keep getting in?" he asks, ignoring her question.

Hoshi waves her hand dismissively from her spot on his couch. "I used a key."

"I took your key away."

The jounin grins widely, showing off her unusually sharp canines. "Aa…but you didn't take away Tousan's or Kaasan's now did you?"

Pinching the bridge of his nose, the Uchiha merely grunts in response. "Hn."

Understanding the meaning behind the sound her bother emitted, she responds. "I was just avoiding some fanboys when I thought I'd drop by to see if you had any intention of admitting you have feelings for my best friend."

"Hn."

"Yeah, yeah. I know, you guys are just friends and that's all. Blah, blah, blah," Hoshi says before rolling her eyes. Crossing her arms in annoyance, the female continues. "And knock it off with the damn 'hn'. Just because I understand what you're saying doesn't mean I want to hold a conversation that consists of grunting or whatever the hell that is!"

Due to her frustration, the eighteen-year-old jumps to her feet and begins pacing. Closing his eyes, Hideo plop onto the couch with perfect aim.

"Where are Toshi and Kazuki?" he asks in a dead tone.

"Stop changing the subject!" Hoshi demands only to have Hideo open his eyes and stare emotionlessly at her before sliding closed once more. "Would you just open your damn eyes?! Maybe then you'll see the truth. Why do you think you're going on this rampage to stop Akari from dating?"

The older Uchiha's eyes snap open to reveal his sharingan as he replies without hesitation. "Because she's like a little sister to me and I don't want to see her get hurt. I'd do the same thing for you if you went out on dates."

"Hideo, I can smell the emotions locked within you growing. Face it, Nissan. You have feelings for Akari-chan," his sister replies softly.

"What?"

"Fine, I'll say it in words you may understand," Hoshi begins. "You have deep, passionate affections for a member of the opposite sex who happens to be yours and my best friend which for normal people means you love Akari and want to have a family with her."

A confused expression plays on Hideo's face causing Hoshi to sigh. "You see Hideo, when a man and woman love each other very much, they-"

Hideo makes a noise of protest in the back of his throat, cutting his sister off and effectively stopping her hand gestures. Raising a hand to cover his face, the Uchiha takes a deep breath as he tries to gather himself.

"I can assure you, I don't want that sort of relationship with Akari," he finally states and to Hoshi's disappointment, she hears nothing but sincerity ringing clear in Hideo's voice. "I've never seen her in _that_ way. Sure I kiss her forehead or cheek, but I'd never dream of kissing her on the lips. I-"

This time, Hoshi cuts her bother off with an irritated groan. "Do you have any idea how ridiculous you sound? My nose doesn't lie and Kazuki has picked up the scent too. Jeez…have you forgotten that I've seen you together? Trust me when I say there's intimacy between you two."

"Intimacy is closeness, Hoshi, and so what if we are? Whenever we are physically intimate, it's a joke and we both know it. Emotional closeness comes with being best friends. If you're going to say that Akari-chan and I are intimate, then you might as well say that the two of you are intimate as well."

Throwing her hands up in agitation, the dark haired jounin decides she may as well be taking to a wall and that it would be best to just give in…for now. Shooting a glare at her brother (complete with her own sharingan), she goes on to say, "Fine, whatever. I'm sick of dealing with this crap. You're obviously too emotionally stunted to recognize what you're feeling."

Turning on her heel, the kunoichi makes her way to the front door.

"Send Toshi back," the ANBU calls out to his sister.

"Whatever," comes the irritated reply as Hoshi continues to walk away. As she heads home, the angry jounin sees Akari entering the compound. Refraining from massaging her temples as she senses an oncoming migraine, the female Uchiha forces her mouth to form a smile as she waves at her friend.

"I need to talk to you," Akari states under her breath as she glances in the direction of Hideo's house.

Already knowing the topic, Hoshi opens her door and steps inside closely followed by the brown haired medic. They're greeted by a glaring Toshio who snorts at Hoshi before trotting out the door and returning to his partner.

"What was that about?" Akari asks in confusion.

Shrugging in response, the raven scratches Kazuki behind the ear as she watches her friend flop down in a laying position her couch and stare up at the ceiling. There's silence until Hoshi decides Akari needs a little prodding in order to get started.

"So…"

"He showed up again," Akari mumbles as she covers her face with her hands. "Hoshi, I've finally admitted that I like Hideo and have been going out on these dates in order to get my mind off of him, but he keeps appearing wherever I go! I don't understand why this is happening to me. And on top of that, Hideo is acting so much colder than usual."

Hoshi can practically envision the medic curling into a ball of sorrow just from hearing Akari's voice alone. Gaze settling on the floor, the Uchiha takes a minute to sort her words.

"He's been stressed lately," she finally utters. "Aniki has a lot of things he has to worry about. Once he figures it all out, things will get better." She isn't lying…she's just being vague.

The need to comfort the brunette causes Kazuki to leave Hoshi's side and rest his head beside Akari's. The red dog gently nuzzles the young woman and kindly licks her cheek. In response, she lifts a hand to pet the canine's head as she continues to stare up at the ceiling absorbed in her own thoughts.

Hoshi observes her friend and wishes that there was something she could do. Her brother is inadvertently causing the young woman pain and Hoshi hates that fact. Gears rapidly turn in her head as she tries to figure out an effective approach to fix the situation. Unfortunately, nothing comes to mind that wouldn't further jeopardize the bonds formed between all three. Hoshi continues staring at Akari. Never has she seen the medic look so vulnerable.

'Niisan…why don't you understand that by trying to protect her, you're only causing her pain?'

* * *

**Okay, Akari has come to terms with her feelings already, but then again she'd already previously acknowledged that she had a crush on Hideo when she was younger. Just to clear things up. Hideo hasn't really fallen for Akari yet…it's more like he's jealous that he's not the only guy in her life and is missing the attention and closeness that Akari usually gives him. **

**Also, it has come to my knowledge that people really like Hoshi's character and think she should get her own story. To be honest, I hadn't really put any thought into what happens with Hoshi until someone mentioned it (I'm sure you know who you are. -smiles-). So, I was just wondering what you all thought of me giving Hoshi her own story. I've actually got some plans worked out, but I'll leave it up to you.**

**Okay, I hope to update soon, but I still need to sort out what exactly happens next so it may take a while. It'll get done eventually though. Patience is a virtue. ;-)**


	11. Left in the Dark

**Um…I don't really have much to comment other than school is going to be starting up again for me soon. August 25****th**** to be exact. Well, unless the teachers actually go through with their strike. I highly doubt they will, but you never know. Still, this year I'm going to be busy because of my AP classes, job hunting, and figuring out college stuff. Yeah, it sucks, but I've got to do it. I hope to still update somewhat regularly although there may be a few weeks between each chapter. I've got another fanfic to write as well. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter. I know it's not the best title, but I'm not good with that kinda stuff.**

* * *

**Left in the Dark**

Akari lifts her arms up to the ceiling of her bedroom as she stretches the tired muscles of her back. Yawning, the brunette nearly has to crawl to her bed because she's so exhausted. She'd been going nearly nonstop for days and just got home early this morning from a B-rank mission where she acted mainly as the team's medic. She barely had enough time to relax before she was called in to the hospital to help train some new medics. Although she hates to admit it, most were inadequate at best and the process of showing them techniques multiple times before they got the idea left her low on chakra by the end of the day. Now, jounin wants nothing more than to fall into a deep sleep….or even a coma just so there's no possibility that she'll be woken up.

Slowly, Akari slips under the covers and buries her face in her soft pillows. Her eyes slid closed and the medic drifts off nearly instantly. In a tree outside the young medic's window, a dark shape crouches in the shadows. Locks of raven hair cover the top of a wolf ANBU mask which hides the person's face. Behind him, an ANBU with midnight blue hair and a dog mask waits impatiently.

"Do you have the note finished yet, Aoi?" the raven whispers, sharp eyes never straying from the young woman asleep in her bed.

The other man quietly snorts. "Finally out of dreamland, huh Wolf? Yeah, it's done."

'Wolf' holds out his hand behind him and 'Aoi' to press the slip of paper into his palm. The young man fiddles with something in his pocket momentarily before he disappears with a flicker. He reappears not even a second later perched on the same branch, but without the note in his hand or object in his pocket.

"Let's go Wolf," Aoi whispers. "We have no reason to be here. We need to meet in three minutes for our mission and the gate is all the way on the other side of the village."

The other ninja releases a barely audible sigh before straightening. "Don't worry. We're leaving."

This time, both ANBU flicker and are gone only to arrive at the gates a moment later. Of the two other ninja joining them on this mission, only one is currently located at the meeting place.

"Ah Uchiha-sempai!" the other man says when he notices the new presences.

He wears a feline mask with tiger stripes, but Hideo can hear the smile in the other man's voice. He's excited which is one of the details that indicate this ANBU is still a rookie. Furthermore, the animal mask he possesses is undamaged while the Sharingan user has years of wear on his. Besides using the term 'sempai' which tells the Sharingan user that this green haired young man will be receiving guidance from him, there's something more in the name he spoke.

"Refrain from using actual names, Tiger. Our identities must always be protected when on missions," Hideo scolds before jerking his thumb in the direction of his partner. "Address him as Aoi and myself as Wolf."

"Why call him Aoi, Wolf-sempai?" the new recruit asks in hopes of clarification. "Since he's your canine partner and is wearing a dog mask, wouldn't Dog be more appropriate?"

A warning growl immediately silences Tiger as Toshio shows his clear dislike of the name. "It's degrading," the disguised nin-dog remarks as Hideo nods in agreement.

"Since we're establishing codenames, you will call me Eagle," the final member of the team interrupts as he joins the three other ANBU. His unique hairstyle which he acquired from his father immediately gives away his identity.

Hideo nods respectfully in his cousin's direction. "Ryuu-san."

The older Uchiha can practically hear his relative smirk. "Now _Wolf_, what did you just say about the names?"

Toshio snickers at his companion's expense while Hideo immediately has a comeback. "At least Tiger came early and isn't making us late for starting our mission. But if codenames are really that important to you, I suppose I could call you Ass," the Sharingan user retorts as he gestures to Ryuu's hair.

A moment later, Hideo has Ryuu in a head lock after the younger rushed at him.

"You're still quick Wolf," Ryuu admits before a poke is delivered to Hideo's back. "But you're not the only one who's fast," he states as he stands behind his cousin.

The elder chuckles quietly as he ruffles the duck butt hair of the shadow clone he trapped. The clone is gone in a puff of smoke and Ryuu comes to stand before him once more.

"Good thing I wasn't using a kunai," he comments causing Hideo to roll his eyes.

"If you'd used a kunai, I would've actually tried." Ryuu merely shrugs in response.

"Um…Wolf-sempai," Tiger interrupts causing the two Uchiha to give the other man their attention. "Shouldn't we be leaving?"

Hideo gives the new recruit a silent nod before springing into the trees with Toshio, Ryuu, and the new ANBU member close behind.

* * *

"So what you're saying is," Hoshi begins and Akari can sense a hint of disbelief in her tone. "Somebody managed to open your bedroom window, your _locked_ bedroom window, without waking you and then left you a gift and note that says…" Hoshi looks down at the slip of paper in her hands and reads "Sorry it's not much, but there's more to come?"

It's been four days since Akari passed out and awoke to find the gift on her nightstand. She'd been dying to talk to one of her best friends about it, but she hadn't seen Hideo since before she left for her mission weeks earlier and Hoshi hadn't returned from her own until late last night.

The medic-nin nods in response to her friend's question and holds up a simple, silver chain necklace. "It's even got a pendant with the symbol for patience on there. Whoever gave this to me wants me to wait for them."

"And what does this secret admirer want you to wait for?" Hoshi asks with a sigh.

The older jounin shrugs in response. "I have no idea. I was hoping you'd have some clue of who left this though."

Hoshi's brow furrows. "How the hell am I supposed to know?"

"I thought you might recognize the handwriting or something," Akari murmurs weakly.

The Uchiha's dark eyes flick down to the paper. The writing isn't exceptionally elegant and nothing really stands out to help give away who wrote the note. It appears that whoever it was had been in a rush or was agitated about something which makes determining the person even more difficult. Still, something about the scrawl sparks familiarity within Hoshi. She's seen a similar handwriting before, but it must not have been often enough for her to remember the person.

"I can't help you with the handwriting, but I'll try my best to help you figure this out," the raven haired jounin states. Her reluctance is well hidden and isn't conveyed to Akari through her tone. "In order to get into your room without being detected must mean your admirer is a high level shinobi. Most likely a jounin, but at least a special jounin in rank or even a chunin in the ANBU because they're trained for stealth."

"I figured that much, but that's still a lot of shinobi," Akari mutters as she examines the necklace held between her fingers. "This necklace isn't very expensive so he must not be very wealthy and this was something he could afford."

"That or he's cheap," Kazuki can't help but throw in. Akari frowns in response to the suggestion as Hoshi snickers and scratches behind her partner's ears. The reddish canine shakes his head and stretches his neck so his face is close to Hoshi's before giving an affectionate nip to her nose. The jounin wrinkles her nose playfully at the contact as her partner goes back to lounging beside her.

"Whoever he is said that he'd be leaving more gifts," the medic-nin thinks aloud to herself. "Maybe he'll leave his name or even a simple clue next time."

"Maybe," Hoshi agrees as she stands up and brushes blades of grass from her clothes. "How about some lunch? I haven't had a decent meal in nearly a week."

Akari smiles and gets up as well. The two leave their private meeting place and head back into the village. As they wander the streets, they debate going for ramen or barbeque then ask about each other's families once they've decided.

"Suzume has a boyfriend now. She seems pretty happy and he's a nice guy from what I've heard," Akari comments as she thinks about what's going on among her family members. A little smile comes across her face before she begins again. "Kane is actually avoiding the topic of a significant other all together. Whenever Kaasan asks, his face gets so red. According to Kaasan, he definitely acquired his relationships issues from Tousan. Still, he's excelling as a medic. I think my little brother is actually better than me!"

Hoshi rolls her eyes at the remark and Akari quickly turns the attention to the Uchiha family. "So how are your parents and everyone?"

At this, the raven haired jounin snorts. "Uncle Sasuke and Aunt Sakura are the same. I haven't really seen Ryuu around the compound lately. Uncle Kiba offered to train with Kazuki and I like old times. I think he wants to show us a jutsu that he and Akamaru use. And as for my parents," Hoshi says hesitantly. "Kaasan isn't feeling all that well and I think it's because Tousan is letting her get enough sleep."

Akari's eyebrows knit together in confusion. "What do you mean?"

Hoshi shoots her friend a look. "I mean, my parents are like fricken rabbits and I'm surprised I don't have a bunch of siblings."

Now, it's the medic's turn to wear a disbelieving expression. "No way. Your parents couldn't actually still be involved in _that_ way."

"Have you never met my parents?" the sharingan wielder asks. "I'm serious. Last night, I dropped by to let them know I got back from my mission and I caught them making out. I'm just glad they noticed me or else…" Hoshi shudders at the thought. "What scares me the most though is what they might have in their closet."

An evil smirk works its way onto Akari's face. "Yeah. Maybe some leather or handcuffs."

"Stop it," Hoshi hisses as she directs a glare at her best friend.

"I bet they have a paddle or…ooh a riding crop! They've got to have a riding crop!"

"Shut up!" Hoshi whines as she clamps her hands over her ears. Akari laughs and teasingly pokes her friend in the side.

Suddenly, Kazuki stops causing Hoshi to look down at him. His ears are cocked to the right and his nose twitches as he catches a whiff of a scent. Hoshi inhales to try to pick up whatever her partner has smelled and strains her ears in an attempt to hear whatever it is. She hears nothing, but the smell of blood and someone worrying causes her to become concerned.

When her friend tenses, Akari places a hand on her shoulder. Before she can ask what's wrong however, the jounin can sense the familiar chakra. Looking up, they catch a glimpse of a black blur moving quickly on the rooftops.

Quickly getting over his shock, Kazuki barks to snap Hoshi and Akari out of their daze before sprinting after Hideo in the direction of the veterinary clinic. Hoshi and Akari hurry after the canine and the older Uchiha. The medic-nin can see Hoshi's nose as it crinkles in something close to repulsion. The metallic scent of blood usually gives the raven haired jounin an extra boost on the battlefield, but now, it only terrifies her.

They arrive at the clinic just as Hideo discovers that his mother isn't working. His clothes are soaked with crimson, but most of it doesn't smell like that of a comrade so it must be their enemies. Sensing their presences, the ANBU rounds on his sister for answers.

"Where is Kaasan?" he demands. In his arms, Toshi is limp and the canine is struggling to breath. His once midnight blue fur is matted with blood. Some patches are dry while others are wet from the blood flowing freely from his wounds. There're deep gashes on Toshio's shoulders and legs, two of which appear to be broken based on their strange angles. The most pressing matters, however, would have to be kunai imbedded in the dog's stomach and shuriken wedged between his ribs.

"According to Tousan, she hasn't been feeling well the past few days and has stayed home," Hoshi replies as she is for once, slightly intimidated by her brother's whirling sharingan. She shudders and she isn't sure if it's because of Hideo's aura or the disturbing thought of why her mother isn't feeling well.

Not wasting anymore time, Hideo races off in the direction of the Uchiha compound with the others at his heels. After bursting through the front door, the raven calls for his mother and ventures furthering into the house as he searches for the vet.

Just as the young man starts walking down the hall, Hana appears from her and Itachi's room. Her skin is a bit pale and there're faint bags under her eyes, clearly displaying how little sleep she's gotten. However, the moment she lays eyes on her son and his partner covered in blood, she loses her tired expression and replaces it with one of total professionalism.

"Bring him to your old room," the brunette orders since it's the closest one. When Hana whistles, one of the Haimaru Triplets sprints passed to retrieve her bag of veterinary supplies.

After Hideo gently lays Toshi on his old bed, Hana kneels beside him and gets to work.

"What happened?" she questions as she tries to minimize the blood loss.

"We weren't the only ones going after the target," Hideo replies as Hoshi, Akari, and Kazuki listen from the doorway. "Ninja from Ame **(1)** got in the way and ruined our plans. It led to unnecessary battle which left some of us more injured than others."

The rest of the details remain unspoken as it should be. The only ones who should know the specifics of an ANBU mission are the Hokage and the ninja assigned to it.

"There're no traces of poison," Hana states before gently gripping the kunai lodged in Toshio's stomach. Her free hand begins to glow green with healing chakra as she slowly begins pulling the weapon out of the dog while mending the tissue. Toshi releases a yelp of pain and tries to move away, but Hana stills him and stops healing him in the process.

Seeing Toshio in pain, Hideo takes an involuntary step forward. His mother throws a stern look over her shoulder which immediately stops her son's advance.

"Hoshi, hold him still so I can continue," the vet orders.

The jounin silently obeys as she carefully sits beside the dog on the bed and replaces her mother's hands so Hana can begin healing once more. Although the first wound has been treated, beads of sweat form on the older woman's brow as her exhaustion becomes more apparent.

"Kaasan?" Hideo asks quietly as the green chakra surrounding the vet's hands flickers and weakens slightly.

As Hana struggles to gather enough chakra to heal the more life threatening wound to Toshio's chest, Hoshi places one hand over her mother's and lets her feed off her own chakra to help the canine. Still, the process is slow due to Hana's illness and as each second ticks passed, more blood stains the bed sheets.

Sensing Hideo's anxiety, Hoshi addresses him. "Maybe it would be better if you wait outside Aniki," she suggests and she pets the dog in a soothing matter to try to help ease the pain.

The raven is silent as he stares at his companion's battered form.

"Leave Hideo," Hana insists as she continues her work.

Hideo's eyes shift momentarily in the vet's direction before he turns around and exits the room, accidentally brushing Akari as he slips passed in the process. Once the young man is out of sight, the brunette speaks up.

"I'm used to treating humans, but if necessary, I'll take over," Akari offers.

Hoshi nods in response. "I'll get you if Kaasan can't go on and there's still…" the jounin trails off. The words "a chance he'll pull through" go unspoken, but they still cut deeply.

The medic notices her friend's dark eyes flick briefly in the direction Hideo went and she can see how much concern there is in them. If Hoshi is worried about how Hideo is taking this, Akari understands where she's needed most right now.

Quietly padding down the hall, the jounin enters the living room to find Hideo sitting on the couch. His elbows are resting on his knees as he hides his face in his hands. Akari can hear the ANBU inhale deeply before sitting up straight and directing a blank stare at the ceiling.

Akari takes a seat on the couch beside her friend, but she can tell he barely noticed her presence. Of course he knows she's there because Hideo is always aware of his surroundings, but he doesn't so much as glance in her direction. The Uchiha simply stares unseeingly at the ceiling as his expression is completely void.

"I really hate when you're like this," she murmurs as her fingertips gently brush the sharingan wielder's jaw in hopes of providing comfort. There's no response from the Sharingan wielder however and a little part of Akari breaks.

The hand near Hideo's face moves to the back of his head and the medic notices his obsidian pools widen a fraction as she pulls him to her, entangling her fingers in his raven locks. Hideo can hear her steady heartbeat in his ear as she cradles him to her with her cheek resting on top of his head.

"I don't understand why you're acting like this! What happened to the Hideo who was my friend and not a cold bastard?" she exclaims. The words hit Hideo like a kunai to the heart. Akari has been upset with him before, but she's never been so hurt that she'd called him a bastard. "It's okay to show how you feel sometimes. It's okay to be nervous and scared that Toshio got hurt and you have no idea what's happening to him. Please stop acting like you don't care and feel, like a normal human being should."

Things fall silent after the medic's pleas with the exception of Akari's deep breathing as she calms herself. After a moment, the brunette feels Hideo start trembling in her arms as he finally begins to express his sadness. When something wet hits her thigh, it's a signal that THE Uchiha Hideo is quietly crying, even if it's only one tear.

"I'm sorry I've been such an ass lately, Akari-chan," he whispers as he dries his face with his arm. "I couldn't help him. I wasn't good enough," he continues and Akari now knows that he's talking about Toshi.

Suddenly, Akari feels his fingers against her side as he trails them slowly from her hip to her ribs and back down. His sensual touch is setting her skin on fire through the fabric of her clothes and Akari needs to squeeze her eyes shut and bite her lip to prevent a low moan from escaping her throat. The medic vaguely wonders if Hideo's even aware of what he's doing or is acting unconsciously as he tilts his head and effortlessly maneuvers around her Konoha headband so his lips brush the base of the brunette's neck. His husky voice is distant as he continues to speak.

"I'll get better though…I'll keep everyone safe…I promised him after all…." Hideo's voice trails off leaving Akari confused.

"Who did you promise Hideo-kun?" she asks as she glances down at him. The jounin can't help but smile softly when she sees his peaceful expression and lidded eyes.

After adjusting their position so Hideo's head is now resting in her lap as he sleeps, Akari brushes his raven locks out of his face as she thinks about his earlier behavior. Their flirtatious game is normally played in front of friends or Hideo's fangirls or just among themselves to get back at each other for previous acts. But this time, no one was watching and Hideo wasn't even aware of what he'd been doing. Heck, he was barely even awake. And who did he make a promise to and what was it about?

Releasing a quiet sigh in frustration, the brunette briefly wonders why she's drawn to the man to begin with before the sound of footsteps calls her attention. Glancing up, Akari finds Hoshi approaching her. Her hands are covered with some dried blood, but the small smile on her face is enough to cause relief to sweep through the young medic.

"I heard the sigh," Hoshi murmurs. "Is Aniki still bugging you?"

The teasing tone in her voice makes Akari smile and response with "Yeah, he's still driving me crazy."

"Well, things are fine here so how about we go get lunch like we'd planned before all this craziness," the Uchiha suggests as Kazuki trots over to the couch and sniffs Hideo's form.

"I would love to get some food, but…I'm sorta stuck," Akari replies sheepishly.

Sighing in exasperation, Hoshi mutters unintelligibly under her breath as she walks closer to her friend and snoozing brother. Taking a deep breath, the young woman bends over Hideo.

"WAKE UP!"

Hideo's eyes immediately fly open in response to his sister's shout as he jumps up from his position on the couch. It only takes a few seconds for the young man to come to his senses before the two siblings begin bickering.

"What the hell is wrong with you?!"

"Don't use that tone with me!"

"You yelled in my ear. I can use whatever damn tone I want!"

"Well maybe if you didn't fall asleep, I wouldn't have had to yell and wake your lazy ass up!"

Rolling her eyes as their surprisingly childish antics (although it's familiar behavior, it just hasn't occurred recently until today), Akari gets settled on the couch again and wonders when Hideo will remember his injured partner and Hoshi will remember her hunger.

The sudden presence of a dark aura is noticed a little too late by the Uchiha siblings.

"SHUT UP!"

Immediately, things fall silent as Hideo and Hoshi obey their mother. The demand is a reminder to Akari (and everyone else within a 5 mile radius) that although Uchiha are generally quiet and impassive, Inuzuka are loud. Apparently, that trait can be passed to an Uchiha if even a single drop of Inuzuka blood mixed into the lineage. Hideo and especially Hoshi are proof of that.

Still, even the strongest of storms fades into peace and the same happens to Hana as strong arms wrap around her waist. Her husband's presence seems to soothe her and the former Inuzuka leans into Itachi's chest. The raven rests his head on his wife's shoulder as he observes the scene with bored and slightly tired eyes.

The position the two adults are in makes Hoshi's face grow red as she grasps Akari's wrist and drags her out of the house, muttering a rushed apology and good-bye to her parents as she does so. Hideo clears his throat awkwardly before declaring he's going to take Toshio back to his house and hurrying off to his old room where his partner lay.

Hana removes herself from Itachi's embrace and faces him. A ghost of a smirk appears on his face before he leans down to place a gentle kiss on her lips. When he pulls back, the vet rolls her eyes, but can't prevent the smile that makes its way to her lips.

"I'm going to bed," she states which Itachi responds to by stepping closer as his smirk widens. She rolls her eyes again at his actions and adds "Alone" before moving away from him once more. The chuunin goes off to their room, giving her husband's ponytail a playful tug as she passes him.

* * *

**(1) Ame is also known as the Hidden Rain Village. I wasn't sure how many people knew that and I myself have trouble remembering which village is which with the exception of Konoha, Suna, and Oto.**

**Feel free to send me any compliments, complaints, or comments. If you want to request something, go ahead. I'll hear you out.**


	12. Symptoms

**Hey, I'm back with a new chapter…although you probably figured that out already. Anywho, my teachers went on strike so that's given me time to work on my stories. Since the strike was a day to day thing (yes, I regret to inform you that it's over), I had to manage my time carefully because I had no clue when it would be over. I unfortunately received homework from my two AP classes and needed to start a project for English since it would've needed to be turned in no matter the circumstances. That didn't leave me with a lot of time, but I got some done despite the urge to just relax and pop pills to soothe my headaches. Damn calculus for being so fricken hard. Can you believe my teacher actually told us to do a lesson a day on our own as well as the homework for each lesson to prepare for a test the day we got back?! See, it's things like that which make me a violent person.**

**Quick warning: This chapter borders a little on M rating, but hopefully it isn't too bad. In the future, I may change the rating to M just to be safe if I get carried away a little, but I won't ever actually write about them getting that far and if I ever do, it'll be vague because I'm not comforable writing that stuff.**

* * *

**Symptoms**

Akari heaves a sigh as she drops into the chair behind her desk. Files and documents concerning her latest patients litter her office and she dreads working on them again. Just looking at the papers makes her want to take another break. Still, the medic sucks it up and brings the closest paperwork toward her. Akari is unsure how much time has passed before hands fall on her shoulders making her start.

"Relax," a familiar voice murmurs near her ear as the hands massage her tense shoulders. "It's just me."

"You scared the hell out of me, Hideo-kun," she mutters. She can nearly hear his smirk.

"Well then, perhaps you need to be more observant."

"No, you've just mastered sneaking up on me." Tilting her head back, the brunette looks up at her friend. "What are you doing here? Is everything okay?"

Hideo's fingers don't stop working on Akari's shoulders as he speaks. "I'm fine," he replies with a ghost of a smile playing on his lips. "I just stopped by since I had nothing better to do."

"Well, if you have no reason to be here, I really need to get this work done and it's hard to concentrate when you're doing this," the brunette states as she tries to focus on the various documents before her.

Hideo chuckles quietly to himself when Akari's head unconsciously tilts to the side so he has better access to her shoulders. He finds it amusing when the young woman makes a noise of protest when he stops the massage.

He grasps the back of her chair and spins her around resulting in Akari releasing a meek sound in surprise. The medic nin's blue eyes are a little wide due to her surprise as she stares at Hideo's face. The ANBU has situated himself rather close to the woman and his arms form a cage around her as his hands grip the arms of the chair she's seated in.

"Have I mentioned how wonderful and amazing you are?" the Uchiha asks with a smile on his face.

Akari rolls her eyes as the Sharingan user sucks up to her. "What do you want?"

"I'm going on a mission," he replies. Akari senses the sadness laced within her friend's tone. "Toshio hasn't recovered enough to come with me, but Hokage-sama needs me to return to active duty since I'm uninjured. I need you to watch Toshi while I'm gone."

The urge to reprimand him for taking too many missions is immediate, but the brunette refrains because she has no right to do so. Instead, Akari's eyebrows pull together in confusion at his request. "Why me? I'm sure your mother or even Hoshi would be a better choice."

There's a flash in Hideo's obsidian pools as the question causes him to hesitate. He recovers quickly and provides an answer despite being clueless as to what the real reason is.

"I trust you."

And somehow, Hideo sees that's enough for Akari and straightens to put some distance between them once more.

"All right then," Akari replies with a slight nod before spinning around to get back to work. "I'll watch Toshi while you're away."

"Arigatou."

Silence follows Hideo's thanks as Akari focuses on her reports, but the Uchiha can't bring himself to leave. Being in his friend's presence is providing him with an unusual amount of comfort and he doesn't want to depart just yet. Instead, his pocketed hand fiddles with two small objects as he watches the brunette.

Obsidian orbs lock on strands of hair that have escaped from the medic's quick pony-tail and have fallen in front of her face. Akari appears to be too absorbed in her work to notice the stray hairs at the edge of her vision. Hideo finds himself wanting to brush the brown strands away from his friend's face and tuck them behind her ear. His fingers that are not kept busy by the small objects in his pocket twitch slightly with the need to touch the medic. Even after Akari (finally) moves the hair away, the urge to reach out to the medic is strong.

The young woman's creamy skin seems to taunt him and like so many times before, he wants to check if it's really as soft as it appears. Although he can't act on such a whim, he finds pleasure in the fact that Akari is sporting her medic uniform. While he cannot follow her around to ensure her male patients don't try anything, the coat successfully prevents perverted eyes from taking in his friend's form. But then…why is it that the sharingan user now finds the same coat to be a nuisance? Could it be because Akari is alone with him?

Not wishing to continue that train of though, Hideo quickly moves on to something else which just so happens to be the simple chain that has joined the headband around Akari's neck. Two pendants have been added, one is the symbol for happiness and the other for hope. Although he's bothered by the fact that he wasn't thanked for the first, Hideo kept his promise and gave two more.

Saddened by the thought of Akari ignoring his gift, he looks at something that always makes him happy. Akari's eyes. Their unique shade of blue has never failed to capture his interest. Those blue eyes…that are much too close.

The shock caused by their sudden proximity immediately brings Hideo back to the present. A frown has settled on his Akari's face as she studies him. Wait…_his_ Akari?

Hideo struggles to fight down his blush. Although her proximity is overwhelming at the moment, it gives the Uchiha the perfect opportunity to get rid of one of the objects in his pocket.

Seeing her friend's face grow slightly red only causes Akari to worry more. "Are you all right, Hideo?" she asks as she moves his headband to check his temperature with the back of her hand. "You don't look well."

"Actually," the Uchiha replies reluctantly after forcing down the lump in his throat. He must be sick if he's suddenly overcome by such odd sensations. "I'm feeling a little strange. My stomach feels like it's in a knot and I feel rather warm."

Automatically switching to medic mode, Akari forces Hideo into the seat at her desk. "Is that all? Do you have any other symptoms?"

"My throat is a little…dry and I'm…having trouble…keeping my thoughts…straight," he replies slowly as he stares at Akari's face.

The brunette nods as she tilts his head back and examines his eyes. "Your pupils are dilated," she murmurs before releasing his head. "I'm not sure what these symptoms point to. Maybe I should get another medic."

"It's probably just stress," Hideo quickly remarks as he stands. Akari, who had already been heading to the door to find another medic nin, peers at him from over her shoulder. She's disappointed to discover he's avoiding eye contact and all she can see is the Uchiha fan emblazoned on his back. "I shouldn't waste your time. I have things to do anyway."

"Hideo." He knows she's serious when she drops the suffix at the end of his name. When she speaks again, her voice is closer which tells him that she's approached him. "Are you sure you're all right?"

The sharingan user nods as he places both hands back into his pockets. Throwing a glance over his shoulder, he sends his friend a smile. "If anything changes you'll be the first to know."

Turning fully, he drops a chaste kiss on the young woman's forehead. "Toshi will be at your apartment when you get home." With that said, the young man departs with empty pockets.

Two hours later, Akari finds two new pendants for her necklace. The first is nestled in one of the stacks of paperwork on her desk. This one is the character for friendship. After finishing up in her office, Akari finds the second pendant which symbolizes respect in the pocket of her medic coat on her walk home. Despite the added frustration to her long day because she still hasn't figured out who her secret admirer could be, the jounin cracks a smile because of the kindness behind the mystery man's actions.

* * *

A certain Uchiha stares up at his ceiling as if asking for its help in getting him to sleep. The sun is just beginning to set, but it isn't the fact that there's still some daylight that keeps Hideo awake. The events of his most recent mission swirl around in his head preventing him from relaxing and letting his exhaustion pull him into unconsciousness.

The mission itself had gone incredibly well considering they needed to track down and eliminate an S-ranked criminal who had been seen entering Fire Country. There'd been no major injuries or delays which meant the squad would return home sooner than planned. This pleased Hideo who was eager to get back and check on Toshi as soon as possible. Not even the antics of Norio and Kanae could dampen his mood…or at least, he was more patient with them than usual. It helped that their old sensei was assigned to the mission as well. Their ability to work as a team was still strong and they know what they each excel at or the limits of the other squad members. All those factors resulted in them being able to defeat the S-rank nin efficiently.

No, everything had been going smoothly up until they stopped at a hotel for the night as the four made their way back to Konoha. They'd gotten two rooms and Kanae was grateful that the sleeping arrangements were the guys in one room while she had the other to herself.

In the morning, Hideo had awoken at the break of dawn to find Norio absent. The silver eyed jounin was a heavy sleeper and normally the last to fully rouse which made the fact that he was nowhere in sight incredibly odd. Knowing Iwashi wouldn't have any idea about the missing jounin's whereabouts because he'd still been sleeping soundly, Hideo quickly exited the room to check with Kanae.

He's mildly surprised when the young woman answers the door wide awake and fully clothed. It appeared that she'd even taken a shower because her dark blue hair is slightly damp. The sharingan user immediately became suspicious when the blue-eyed jounin grinned cheerfully up at him. The Uchiha instantly tensed when Kanae pulled him into a swift hug and wished him good morning. Even now, he isn't sure if his rigidness was from the physical contact or the fact that he saw Norio's pants on the floor shortly before discovering his friend sound asleep in Kanae's bed with his bare back to him. The room also reeked of…

Having realized what his two friends had been up to last night, Hideo's face became instantly hot and although he tried to escape (oh how he tried), Kanae wouldn't let him leave without first teasing him for the deep blush the flustered Uchiha sported.

Stopping his train of thoughts, Hideo curses his stupid teammates as he flips onto his stomach and buries his burning face into his pillow. Why did he have to walk in on them like that? Better yet, why couldn't they have waited until they returned home and he'd be none the wiser? They'd both been so cheerful the rest of the day that Hideo actually began feeling nauseous and wanted nothing more than to get away from the two jounin.

Toshio's barking snaps the sharingan user out of his chaotic thoughts and alerts him that they have a visitor even before the first knock. Inhaling deeply to calm himself, Hideo rolls out of bed and grabs a shirt as he exits his room so he's somewhat presentable.

Throwing on his black t-shirt, Hideo hushes his canine partner. The midnight blue dog whimpers softly due to the soreness of his throat caused by the barking. Ever since the unfortunate battle that left Toshio injured, the dog has had trouble speaking. It seems that a hit had been delivered to the canine's throat sometime during the battle without Hideo realizing it and without Toshi being able to tell him, the problem went on unnoticed for a few days. However, the pain should fade within the next few weeks and Toshi will be able to talk or bark without experiencing problems. Although he feels sorry for his partner and even guilty for letting him get hurt so badly, Hideo's thankful that Toshi is still alive and will completely recover over time.

Hideo opens the door and although the sun has fully set, the full moon provides enough light for Hideo to know it's Akari standing before him. The moonlight makes her skin glow and the Uchiha can only describe the sight at beautiful.

Feeling his mouth suddenly go dry and his throat tighten, the raven struggles to swallow so he can greet his friend. He tries to speak, but the words don't make it passed his lips which results in Toshi snickering quietly to himself. The reaction goes unnoticed by the brunette, however, and she greets the two cheerfully.

When Akari enters and crouches down to pet Toshi, Hideo's eye twitches in slight annoyance as he says "you just saw him earlier today." The medic doesn't seem to care or even hear him. Before he gets the chance to ask why she's even here to begin with, Akari tells him as if sensing it.

"Tousan wanted me to give this to 'the Uchiha' if I saw him," she states as she holds a package up to Hideo without looking away from the dog before her. "Since I was out, I thought I'd drop it off."

"Why didn't you just give it to my father?" the ANBU asks with a sigh. "It's probably for him anyway."

All he receives in response is a shrug as Akari scratches Toshi behind the ears. Figuring he might as well check the package to make sure it isn't actually for him, the Uchiha unwraps it.

"Kunai, no surprise there. These are the specialty kunai Tousan wanted." His eyes twitches again. "Icha Icha Paradise?! Okay, that's definitely some sick joke between our dads. Find inspiration or something like that."

The sudden mental image of Norio and Kanae pops into Hideo's mind causing his face to heat up. Obsidian eyes flick to Akari to see if she noticed his blush. He's thankful that she hadn't. He's also thankful that the image of his parents hadn't popped into his head in place of his two friends. The sharingan user shudders at the thought.

"Probably," she responds as she finally straightens.

"Do you have any idea what's in here?" he asks as he holds the book up and waves it in front of her face.

A hint of a blush creeps onto Akari's cheeks as she turns her head away from her friend. "I've got a few guesses," she murmurs. Involuntarily, her blue orbs glance at Hideo before away again.

Panic is instilled in the ANBU at the sight of the blush spreading across the medic's face. "You're still a…um…you know, right?" he asks nervously.

The female jounin rolls her eyes. "Of course! My boyfriends always end up in the hospital before anything gets serious." There's barely a moment's pause where wonder for why exactly that is flashes in Akari's eyes before she continues and Hideo is reassured when that flicker of curiosity dies. "Hell, you even took my first kiss!"

This news shocks the Uchiha and all he can do is blink besides feel slightly relieved. He'd been prepared to go on a killing spree. "But I've seen you kiss other guys."

"It happened a while ago. I was staying at your house for the night when I was little," Akari explains. "My parents were spending some time together. I had a nightmare and came to your room."

Comprehension appears on Hideo's features. "I remember now. It had been storming and you'd been so scared. I went to kiss your forehead to comfort you…but I guess I missed, huh?"

Silence falls upon the two for a moment before Akari's hand comes up to cover a yawn. She offers young man a kind smile and says "I should probably go home now and let you go to sleep."

The young medic is about to turn and leave when Hideo sighs and grasps her wrist. "It's late and you're tired," he murmurs. "Just sleep here."

After momentarily hesitating, the medic nods in agreement then goes over to the couch and gets comfortable. Rolling his eyes, Hideo places the kunai and (disgusting) book on the table before picking his friend up and throwing her over his shoulder. Akari protests go ignored as the sharingan user carries her to his room.

After dropping her on the bed, Hideo grabs a pair of his sweatpants and a t-shirt. "You're the guest so that means you get the bed. Now shut up and put these on," he orders as he throws Akari the clothes.

"Thank you Hideo-kun."

"Hn," he replies before exiting his bedroom and going back to the kitchen. He gets Toshi a bowl of water to help soothe his partner's throat before grabbing some extra pillows and blankets and heading to the living room where he gets settled on the couch.

As he tousles Toshio's ears, his dark orbs catch sight of the novel on the table beside him. Nose wrinkled in disgust, Hideo turns so his back faces the offending book and tries to give in to sleep.

* * *

She's panting heavily in his ear as his fingers glide across her sides. The sweat clinging to their bodies due to the heat goes ignored by the both of them. At the moment, nothing matters because all is forgotten besides each other.

There's a gasp from the young woman as the ANBU nips the sensitive flesh of her collarbone before giving the area a gentle suck. As Hideo marks her, the brunette clutches him, pulling him closer to her. That's just fine for him. The feel of her flesh against his is all he wants. He craves it.

Somehow, the Uchiha is able to pull away and activates his sharingan. His crimson orbs immediately shift to the young woman's abdomen where a faint flicker of chakra can be seen. A content smile forms on his lips as his eyes move to gaze into crystal blue ones.

The medic pushes herself up on her elbows to place a chaste kiss on the young man's nose. He responds by planting his lips on her lower abdomen where a new life resides. A life that is part of both of them, a life they created.

Coming back up, Hideo grins at the young woman with a mischievous glint in his once again obsidian eyes. Without hesitation, he crashes his lips to hers and thrusts his tongue into her mouth, tasting her sweet flavor.

"Akari-chan," he groans into her mouth.

Blood flows to different regions as the two go back to there previous activities…

Shock causes Hideo to jolt awake from the happy and…erotic dream. His heart is thundering in his chest and warmth is pooling in his abdomen. Although he can come up with logical (and acceptable) reasons for having such a dream, his reactions to it disturb him.

His best friend. The strange sensations he'd felt around her are finally making sense. The genuine happiness he experiences at the mere thought of Akari now has an explanation. The pure bliss he felt when he'd connected with the brunette in such a way was indescribable…and it had only been a dream.

The Uchiha inwardly groans because he can actually see a future with the woman. He can see a future that, at the moment, he wants more than anything else.

Hit by this realization Hideo groans aloud this time and slowly mutters, "Oh shit."

* * *

**Okay guys…I've got some good and bad news. Good news is I may have finally got a job (not a very good one in my opinion, but money is money and I need it). Bad news is the job would cut my fanfic writing time even shorter. I don't know when I'll update again, but I promise that I will. I can't just drop this story or any of my other ones. I finish the things I start.**

**Compliment, Complaint, or Comment. Just three 'C' words for review.**


	13. Denial's End?

**I'm alive! Yes, I finally updated. My mind has been overwhelmed lately. Calculus is making me flip the shit because I don't understand it and need to pass this huge test on it in like two weeks. Also, I was going over my college enrollment stuff with my parents and I seriously almost started to cry as we were going over the cost. I know that a lot of people are doing the same thing because of the lousy economy, but shit! Knowing my parents are taking on a huge burden for me makes me feel like a piece of crap!**

**Lets have a little optimism though shall we. I've got this new chapter out and hopefully, this has gotten me on a roll so I'll have more updates without you all having to wait a super long time. Hope you enjoy the chapter and please vote on my poll if you haven't already!**

* * *

Previous Chapter:

_The Uchiha inwardly groans because he can actually see a future with the woman. He can see a future that, at the moment, he wants more than anything else._

_Hit by this realization Hideo groans aloud this time as he grasps his head as if in pain and slowly mutters, "Oh shit."_

* * *

**Denial's End?**

His master's curse causes Toshio to rouse from his slumber. Once the canine's eyes focus in the dark, he finds Hideo sitting up with his head in his hands.

"What's wrong?" Toshi whispers softly before taking a drink of cool water from the bowl near his head to soothe his aching throat. Speaking so quietly isn't nearly as painful and the midnight blue dog feels that he's able to continue the conversation.

"Toshi," Hideo begins. "How am I supposed to keep my promise to Hayato-san…if I have to protect Akari from myself?"

A low chuckle is heard from the floor and the young Uchiha finds himself gritting his teeth at the sound of his companion's amusement. "You've finally come to your senses huh?" the dog questions.

The sharingan user shakes his head. "I think I knew it all along. I just kept telling myself I was doing everything to keep her safe. I used logic as a way to explain my actions and remain in denial." A groan escapes from Hideo as he flops back down on the couch and throws an arm over his face, hiding his eyes. "Why did it have to be her of all people? What makes her so special?"

"Only you can answer that one Hideo. You're the one falling for her after all."

A ghost of a smile can be seen on the ANBU's face as he speaks. "I guess I do."

"Now that you know," Toshi begins with his own kind smile, "why don't you tell her?"

There's a brief silence where the canine is sure that his master is playing out the situation in his head. He can almost envision Hideo's obsidian orbs staring behind his arm in the direction of his room where the young woman lay sleeping. Toshio is disappointed when the Uchiha rolls over so his back is now facing him.

"I don't want to hurt her," comes the response.

"Or is it you who doesn't want to get hurt?" the dog asks knowingly. Again, the response is silence causing Toshi to sigh. "Did you ever think that she might have feelings for you too and right now both of you are hurting? Just tell Akari-chan that you love her!" The last part comes out as a hiss which shocks Hideo although it doesn't show on his face. Toshi has never spoken to him with such annoyance before.

"I can't…I've just opened my eyes today, Toshi," the ANBU murmurs. "Just because I'm now seeing her in a new light, doesn't mean I love her. I need time to figure out how strong my feelings are. I won't tell Akari if I end up no longer feeling this way after a few months."

"You mean the fact that you send any man who finds her attractive to the ER isn't clear enough for you?" his partner growls. He can't believe that the Uchiha is already slipping quickly back into a state of denial.

"Good night Toshio."

The canine rolls his eyes before laying his head between his paws. "Good night…baka," he adds under his breath.

"Ohayou Niisan!"

Hideo stares blankly at his sister's cheerful expression. Immediately, he decides that she's far too energetic this morning and deduces that this won't end well for him. He eyes her warily as he returns the greeting.

The eighteen year old gracefully enters the house with a grin only to suddenly freeze mid-step. The young woman's eye twitches slightly at the sight of the orange book resting on her brother's table.

"Aniki, I understand that you're a male, but you could at least keep your choice of reading material private."

Before the elder Uchiha can defend himself, soft footsteps draw Hoshi's attention elsewhere.

* * *

"Good morning Hoshi-chan, Hideo-kun," a soft voice says.

Hoshi smiles at the brown haired medic and gives a friendly wave. Meanwhile, Hideo's throat goes dry as his obsidian pools take in Akari's form and he immediately regrets his choice in the clothes he lent his friend. The t-shirt and sweatpants he'd let her borrow last night are baggy on the young woman and her hair is rather messy after just waking up. Still, after his realization last night, Hideo finds his friend's presence having an effect on him. It definitely doesn't help the situation that his sister is there to witness the entire exchange.

The ANBU is barely aware of Akari asking to use his shower and since he doesn't trust himself to speak, he nods his silent response. The moment the jounin is gone, Hoshi rounds on her brother.

"I knew you had a thing for her Niisan!" the younger Uchiha exclaims.

"Don't be stupid," Hideo grumbles, nearly croaking in his attempt to speak. He can hear the name 'liar' echoing through his head. "She came to deliver something for Tousan and was really tired so I let her stay. Nothing else happened."

"She came out of your room though," Hoshi remarks with a wicked grin.

Hideo scoffs. "I wasn't going to make her sleep on the couch or floor."

"You're so cute, big brother. Tell me, did you hug her to keep her warm? Share body heat, did ya?" Hoshi teases, winking suggestively.

The glare aimed at her in response doesn't faze Hoshi. "I slept on the couch," the elder Uchiha growls in annoyance.

Hoshi blinks in confusion. "You mean nothing happened between you two?"

"Didn't I say that already?" the ANBU asks as his anger mounts.

"Damn it!" the young woman curses under her breath. "I'm out of the pool!"

Hideo's eyes flash dangerously and his glare intensifies into the infamous Uchiha clan death glare. "What?" he asks in a tone that dares Hoshi to repeat the statement.

"Uh…nothing," his sister replies quickly as she plays innocent. "I should get going."

With that, Hoshi flees her older brother's house as she inwardly curses. When she'd heard from Kane that Akari went to Hideo's house last night and never returned, she'd been positive that some major progress had been made between the two. The thought that she had won the bet placed on her best friend and brother's relationship made her quite cheerful that morning. But now, she needs to tell the others she lost because Hideo is emotionally constipated. Not including herself, so far, Kanae and Shizune have also lost which leaves Sorami, Suzume, Hana, and Sakura left in the pool. Of course, the males aren't included because they either don't care or they're too protective and it was deemed that it'd be best if they didn't know anything about it.

"Chikushou!" **(1)**

* * *

Itachi senses the presence beside him, but refuses to look down and continues to stare at the food cooking before him. Hiro whimpers softly and nudges the Uchiha's leg with his muzzle in hopes of getting a response. Still, the dog is ignored. Chuckling is heard behind the two and Itachi knows that Hana is standing at the entrance of the kitchen as she watches her husband and dog.

"I see that I'm not the only one who enjoys your cooking, Itachi," Hana states with a smile as she takes a seat at the table.

The sharingan user glances down at Hiro to find the dog with his head cocked slightly and tail wagging behind him. With a quiet sigh, Itachi finally concedes and drops a bit of food for the canine before serving breakfast for Hana and himself. Satisfied, Hiro trots out of the kitchen to find his brothers.

A comfortable silence captures the room because nothing needs to be said. It is during times like these where their hectic lives can find peace. The couple understands each others' need for some quiet time and since these moments often overlap with one another's, they tend to seek out the company of their significant other. It is easiest to give affection when stress is at a low and upon realizing that, Itachi and Hana have been able to strengthen their relationship.

All too soon, Hana rises and the moment between the two Uchiha is coming to an end as the vet washes her plate. After briefly studying his wife, the ANBU member stands and brings his used plate to the sink. Fully aware of his presence behind her, Hana pauses and leans back slightly into Itachi's chest.

Understanding Hana's silent plea for comfort, Itachi wraps his arms around her waist and rests his head on her shoulder. The embrace is unexpected and despite not a word being spoken, it doesn't fail to convey what Itachi's mind can't find the words to say. Nuzzling the crook of her neck, Itachi inhales Hana's scent before speaking.

"I'll have a bath drawn for you when you get home tonight. Perhaps a massage will help as well."

The vet releases a heavy sigh before turning in her husband's arms. "And what are you expecting in return?" she questions with a raised eyebrow.

A smirk plays on Itachi's face as he moves his hand to gently hold Hana's chin. "Absolutely nothing." With that, he swiftly pecks her on the lips.

Although the sharingan user is teasing her, Hana sees sincerity in his obsidian orbs and she closes her eyes as she rests her forehead against his. Itachi adjusts his head to give his wife another kiss that lingers a bit longer than the first.

"T-Tousan? Kaasan?"

Having been caught in what is surely an interesting position, Hana tenses slightly at the sound of her son's voice and Itachi releases a quiet sigh before creating space between them. In the doorway are Hideo and Hoshi whose cheeks are slightly flushed.

"Argh…Tousan, could you and Kaasan at least wait until we leave before you do the dirty? We really have no interest in watching foreplay or what comes after," Hoshi grumbles as she covers her eyes with her hands.

The parents barely refrain from rolling their eyes at the false assumption of their children as they decide that Kami made babies/children cute so the adults don't kill them. Hideo awkwardly clears his throat before presenting two items to his father.

"Akari-chan dropped by last night with these. Apparently, they're for you from Hayato-san," he states.

"Hn."

Itachi takes the bundle from his son and inspects the special kunai he had asked for.

"I'm supposed to give you this as well, Tousan," the young man says hesitantly as he holds out the orange book.

Itachi gives the offensive object a quick glance before his eyes fall back down on the weapons in his hands. "Throw it away."

"H-hai." Hideo scans the room to find that his mother and sister are gone. Since he no longer has a reason to be there, the Uchiha decides it would be best if he left.

After bidding his father good-bye, Hideo exits the house to find Toshi waiting for him on the porch. The two are about to leave the compound when the canine nudges Hideo's hand as a reminder that the young man still has possession of the perverted book.

The ANBU thinks momentarily before making a few hand signs. As he is about to incinerate the copy of Icha Icha Paradise, a wave of curiosity comes over Hideo and he pauses. He begins to wonder what exactly is written upon the pages that some men find so fascinating…and what knowledge could possibly be drawn from it.

Finding himself unable to destroy the book, Hideo releases the breath and chakra he was holding for his jutsu. A small puff of fire passes his lips and he stares at the book's cover a while longer before awkwardly slipping the text into his back pouch. As he does this, a sense of shame hits him and Hideo heads towards the Hokage Mountain in hopes that the view will help clear his mind.

The overview of the village is breathtaking, but Hideo can't bring himself to enjoy it properly. Thoughts occupy his brain and prevent him from relaxing. The realization he had last night is plaguing him and he's having trouble accepting how things have developed.

Pulling his legs up to his body, he rests his arms on his knees as he sits on the head of the Rokudaime with Toshi to his right. It doesn't take long for company to find him as a familiar charka approaches him from behind before finally settling beside him, keeping Toshi between them. The newcomer scratches the canine behind the ears and it is quiet for some time before Hayato finally caves and speaks first.

"Although the view from up here is incredible," he begins. "Most shinobi come up here when they have something quite serious on their minds." The Tsuki watches the younger man from the corner of his eye as he continues. "But it is often better to get another's opinion or just vent."

"You make it sound as if I need therapy," Hideo deadpans.

The senior shakes his head. "Your thoughts are confused, but there's nothing wrong with you, Hideo-kun."

The Uchiha struggles to contain a scoff, but Hayato notices anyway and quirks a brow. "I see you think otherwise."

"I normally have great control over my environment. Things are constantly happening around me and usually, nothing surprises me. And yet, now I've been caught off guard therefore there must be something wrong with me for this to occur." Hideo finally turns his head to completely acknowledge his father's friend. "Correct me if I'm wrong, sempai."

The term stuns Hayato for a moment, but he quickly interprets the underlying reason for its use. Hideo is seeking guidance from him as an older shinobi.

"Hideo…If you knew everything, you wouldn't be human. You just need to accept that there will be times when you aren't sure what exactly you should do." Hayato pauses for a moment before he decides it is necessary to pry if he is going to help the younger male at all. "Mind telling me what it is that has you so worked up? I can't help to the best of my ability if I don't know the problem."

The Uchiha's eyes slid closed as he takes a deep breath. "I've begun to see someone in a new light and I'm not sure what to do about it."

The brunette is shocked that Hideo actually responded even more so that he had spoken so quickly. Nevertheless, he recovers and continues the conversation.

"I'm sure you didn't fall in love all of a sudden. You probably did the same thing as your parents. You did your best to deny your feelings and now that you've accepted them, it's a shock to you. If my memory is correct, I believe on the very day you were born, I told you not to hide the fact that you love someone because you'd miss out on something incredible."

"How do you know I'm in love? I never said how serious my feelings were or even if the emotion involved liking the person. For all you know, I may have discovered that I loathe Hyuuga Joji."

Hideo can hear Toshio snort at the comment as Hayato chuckles.

"I already knew you hated the Hyuuga. You didn't have to reveal the extent of your emotions vocally because I know that you wouldn't be thinking so intently about the topic if you were experiencing a simple crush."

The sharingan user's cheeks flush and he quickly asks another question. "How can you be so sure that such a strong attachment is a good thing?"

The Tsuki pats the twenty-year-old's shoulder in reassurance and smiles widely. "Look around, Hideo. Your parents, your aunt and uncle, myself and Sorami, Genma and Shizune, even the Rokudaime and his wife! There are so many examples that I can't list them all. Acting upon these feeling will either bring you unbelievable joy or allow you to move on and continue to live your life should you be rejected. Either end gives you freedom and peace of mind."

Again, silence falls as Hayato lets Hideo process what has been said. He studies the younger man closely as the Uchiha unconsciously rubs his partner behind the ears. Hideo's obsidian orbs lack focus as they stare out over Konoha signaling that he is once again in deep thought.

Finally, Hideo turns his attention to the older shinobi beside him with a shadow of a smile playing on his face. "I think I will wait a little longer before I share my feelings, Hayato-san. To be honest, I need to gather my confidence."

The brunette laughs at the confession as his curiosity grows even more. "Must be an incredible young woman if she has _you_ nervous. So, who _is_ the lucky girl?"

Figuring it would be best not to inform Hayato of that detail, Hideo remains silent as he faces forward once more. Yeah, it would definitely be awkward if Hayato knew that his best friend's son has fallen for _his daughter_.

"Arigato, Hayato-san. I appreciate your guidance. Please don't tell anyone about our conversation," Hideo states as he rises. Nudging Toshi with his foot, he continues. "Give my greetings to your family."

With that, he departs and Hayato is left alone on the mountain. As Hideo and Toshi walk, they come across Kiba and Akamaru. Upon seeing his nephew, the Inuzuka grins and invites the two to join him and Akamaru on their hike. Not wanting to miss an opportunity to spend time with his uncle, Hideo accepts the offer. It doesn't take long for the calming hike to become a wild exercise that successfully wears out the four.

Once Hideo returns home, he immediately changes into comfortable clothes. As he places his ninja gear on the dresser, he suddenly remembers the book in his back pouch. He pulls it out and after staring at the cover for a while, he decides no harm can come from just looking at what is written within and flips the book open to the first page.

His face rapidly turns bright red as he reads line after line. After finishing the first chapter, the ANBU is hit with a new revelation. Unable to read anymore for one night, Hideo snaps the book closed and throws it into the drawer of his nightstand before locking it. With his hands covering his face in shame, the Uchiha collapses on his bed with one thought repeating in head.

'I'm a pervert!'

* * *

**(1)** **Hoshi muttered "dammit" under her breath. **

**I gave you a little more Itachi/Hana and I'll try to fit some more in other chapters as well. So, I hope to finish the next one and have it posted ASAP. Reviews are a great help because they remind me that people actually read what I'm writing. Thus, I have a reason to continue. So please review and vote on the poll if you haven't already!**


	14. Building Confidence

**I'm proud to say that I am now done with high school! My summer has started and I've got parties lined up for the month of June. And my 18****th**** birthday is coming up too! Fricken sweet! Wow that sounded childish. Anyway, I'm excited and hopefully my boss won't schedule me to work that much more now that I'm out of school and available. I'm hoping to do more work on my fanfictions. I already started out pretty good. One day out of school and sleeping in until 11 and I finished a chapter.**

* * *

**Building Confidence**** (Yes, I know it's a lousy name that doesn't really go with the chapter.)**

"Try focusing the chakra to the palms of your hands once more."

Hideo can no longer contain an exasperated sigh as Akari continues to instruct the struggling medic-in-training. He had come here seeking treatment after his most recent mission and although he _is_ receiving it, he did _not _want someone who was not even a medic to take care of his injuries. All he had were minor scratches and he did not want to end up with gaping wounds or even damage to his chakra network because the idiot screwed up the jutsu.

A cool hand is placed on the twenty-one year old's forearm, but Hideo doesn't look down. He had already made that mistake earlier and the sight of the ninja touching him as Akari guided his hands with her own turned his stomach. The whole reason the Uchiha even came to the hospital was to feel the young woman's soothing hands upon his skin as his tension just melted away. Instead, he's being healed by this loser who is (in his opinion) indiscreetly checking out his best friend.

A twinge of pain shoots up Hideo's arm which quickly pulls the ANBU member from his thoughts. Caught off guard, the Sharingan user hisses and directs a harsh glare at the young man healing him.

"You don't want to _force_ the muscles together," Akari warns her student. Hideo bites his tongue to refrain from commenting. "With medical jutsu, you're speeding up the healing process. For an injury this minor, you want to knit the muscles and flesh together with your chakra."

As the brunette continues to instruct the new medic, Hideo pities whatever patients that have the misfortune of falling into this man's care. Despite the fact that he was tuning out the rooms other two occupants, the Uchiha's ears pick up Akari tell the young man to try again. This triggers a mental tantrum within Hideo's mind, but thankfully, the door to the room is opened and the training session is interrupted.

Akari's younger brother appears in the doorway and his deep blue eyes survey the situation from behind his glasses. He sighs quietly as he runs a hand through his dark spikes.

"I thought you'd be finished by now, Neechan," Kane states with a smile as he ventures further into the room. The Tsuki pauses momentarily as he instinctively catalogs Hideo's various injuries. "How long has he been here?" he questions in obvious confusion.

'Too long,' the twenty-one year old mentally growls.

"A while," Akari replies as she hands her brother the new medic's file. With a slight frown, the doctor silently goes over the papers and his sister turns her attention back to Hideo on the bed so she can heal what her student had not.

When his friend places her hand upon his bare back, the Uchiha's eyes become half-lidded as his body relaxes. The bruises there quickly change from purple to an interesting shade of yellow before fading away completely. Her hands then move to his chest. The contact is brief as Akari mere sweeps her glowing palm over a long scratch causing it to heal.

"Since Hamamoto-san is low on chakra, training will be done for today," Kane states. It is clearly a dismissal, but the man has other ideas.

"I'm struggling a bit with the new techniques," he admits. "Would it be all right if I stay with Akari-san to observe her as she treats her patients?"

Hideo is careful to keep his face blank, but he doesn't miss the muscle in Kane's jaw twitch in irritation. It seems the younger Tsuki has been around this particular trainee enough to pick up his true motive for staying.

The dark haired medic adjusts how his glasses rest on the bridge of his nose using his middle and index fingers while he contemplates a response. Unable to come up with a good excuse, Kane murmurs "Fine."

The doctor signals for Akari to step out into the hall with him. As soon as she walks past him, he makes and "I'm watching you" gesture to Hamamoto before nodding to Hideo and closing the door behind him.

"Don't even think about touching her," Hideo deadpans.

Hamamoto snorts before a smirk sweeps across his. "Who do you think you are? She's single and fair game from where I stand. Quite honestly, I don't think you've got a chance in hell at getting her."

Hideo rises from his seat on the bed and crosses his arms over his chest. Years of vigorous training and missions have done wonders on his body according to his fangirls. Although he is certainly not bulky, his body is lean and his muscles are defined. He knows how to intimidate an opponent.

"You have no idea who I am, do you?" he questions as his obsidian orbs bore into the other man's.

Hamamoto's confidence wavers causing Hideo to inwardly smirk. Still, the medic-in-training manages to appear relatively unfazed as he shrugs. "It doesn't matter."

Hideo quirks a brow doubtfully just as the door opens and Akari returns.

"Why are you standing, Hideo-kun? You've _just_ been healed."

He cocks his head as he directs his gaze at her. "I would've been able to go out on another mission by now if you healed me yourself as usual Akari." The drop of the familiar suffix tells her that he is not happy with the situation.

"Whatever. Here's your shirt," she answers as she tosses him his shirt from the nearby chair it had been left on. Hideo snatches the piece of clothing out the air as the medic continues speaking. "I saw Hoshi the other day. She told me you've been keeping her fanboys at bay like a good big brother."

The Sharingan user shrugs as he pulls on his shirt. "I do what I can. I don't ensure that her stalkers are taken care of twenty-four seven though."

Akari interrupts him as she signals for him to walk around. Rolling his eyes, Hideo paces the room to satisfy Akari's suspicion that he kept some injuries secret from her. The raven comes to a stop before Hamamoto and spins around to face Akari once again. He quirks a brow at her and since she didn't notice him favoring any parts of his body, she allows him to continue.

"Like all Uchiha, Hoshi can handle things on her own and if not, Kazuki and Tousan are always prepared to take care of everything themselves." Hideo throws a glance over his shoulder to find Hamamoto staring in shock at the Uchiha crest emblazoned on the back of his shirt. The trainee warily meets the slightly older male's eyes and visibly gulps. It seems the ANBU member was successful in getting his point across.

With a smirk, Hideo takes a few steps closer to Akari before whistling. In response, Toshio flickers into existence beside him.

"Toshi," Akari says with a grin. She's obviously happy that the canine has returned to his former glory after the mission that nearly took his life.

"The one and only, Akari-chan," the dog replies with his tail wagging as the brunette kneels down to his level to pet him. Despite the display of affection, Toshi picks up on the distain his master feels towards the other man in the room and shoots him a glare before looking up at Hideo.

"Are we leaving soon? It's lunch time and I'm starving."

"Aa." Hideo gives Akari a brief nod in farewell before he and Toshi flicker out of the hospital room.

With a shake of her head, Akari murmurs "Show offs." Sighing, the young woman turns around to find her pupil rushing out the door and leaving her very confused at his actions.

* * *

His heart is pounding against his rib cage and his nerves have made his mouth dry. He's found her sitting on a log at the clearing that Akari, Hoshi, and himself have kept secret. She is waiting for him just as he had asked. It isn't often they can spend time just the two of them.

Reluctantly, Hideo approaches Akari from behind. Although the brunette doesn't acknowledge him, he knows that she is aware of his presence because he did not mask his chakra. Crouching behind his friend, he wraps his arms around her as he rests his head on her shoulder.

"Hello Hideo-kun," she says cheerfully.

"Hn," comes his reply as his lips brush her cheek in a friendly kiss. He has been testing her lately. The first time he'd kissed her on the cheek, she had been surprised but said nothing. Now, the eighteen year old has grown accustom to the gesture.

Her happy aura causes him to chuckle as he moves to sit in front of her. "What has you in such a good mood?"

The jounin reaches up to her neck and fiddles with the necklace he'd given her which had been hidden by her headband. There is a new pendant dangling from the silver chain which confuses Hideo. He didn't give that one to her.

"Joji-kun gave me this pendant today. He told me he thought it would be best if he finally revealed himself to me," she answers with a wide grin.

There's a pang in the young man's chest as the smile slides off his face. He can only stare at the symbol held gingerly between Akari's fingers as she explains why the Hyuuga gave her each pendant including the one for beauty, the most recent one.

"I thought you weren't interested in him," Hideo whispers. He is afraid that if he speaks any louder, he'll choke.

"I wasn't, but I figured he deserves a chance. His gift was very sweet and he's always kind to me," she explains. "I know you don't like him, but I still think Joji-kun genuinely cares about me and I can at least give dating him a try."

A painful lump of cotton has formed in the ANBU's throat and he quickly straightens so his friend cannot see his agonized expression. He'd come here with the plan of finally admitting his feelings to her. Instead, the brown-haired medic unwittingly trampled on his heart.

Unable to hear anymore, Hideo mutters "I have to go." Puzzled, Akari reminds him that he just got here. His response is "Meeting my uncle. Can't be late."

No more is said as the Sharingan user quickly walks away with the blue eyes boring into his back. Sighing, Akari wonders for the umpteenth time if she made the right choice when she agreed to go out with Hyuuga Joji later that week. Although she didn't find the man as attractive as her Uchiha friend, she could no longer bring herself to wait around for him. She can only hope that Hideo didn't hate her for going out with his despised rival.

Groaning at that thought, Akari drops her head into her hands. There's no doubt about it. She's threatened her friendship with Hideo as well as Hoshi because neither particularly likes Joji.

"It's things like this that make me understand why Tousan drinks."

* * *

He should have gone the other way. He could have avoided this. He should've left before he was noticed, but his feet had remained rooted to the ground and the Hyuuga caught sight of him. It's too late now. The Hyuuga is already smirking victoriously at Hideo. The young Uchiha can't stop the rage escalating within him. This confrontation really should've waited until after Hideo had time to process what Akari told him and his reaction to die down.

"Why did you lie to Akari?" he demands as his Sharingan whirls dangerously.

Joji appears unperturbed as he answers. "She is not the most attractive woman I've met, but something about her draws me in anyway. Besides, Akari-chan deserves better than an idiotic mutt like you. She'll make for a good wife and bear the Hyuuga name. After all, it's certainly better than the Uchiha name. Isn't that right? Remind me who your clan is made up of. Two traitors, a bitch, an asexual sister. Knowing that I'm taking her away from all that, especially you, makes it all better. I'd say that's my main reason for doing this."

Hideo isn't sure which of the insults angered him the most, but something the Hyuuga said made the hot coil of pent up fury and irritation within the ANBU member snap. His hands go through hand signs so rapidly that they are a blur and although the Hyuuga was ready for the raven to retaliate, he certainly didn't have time to react properly.

The use of the Shikyaku no Jutsu **(1)** has given the Sharingan user a more canine-like appearance and havs increased his already lightning fast speed. Therefore, Joji hardly has time to register the technique before a fist with nails long enough to be called claws smashes into his face.

The young man is sent flying backward and crashes through a tree. Clutching his broken nose, Joji struggles to sit up. Blood pours down his face and stains his shirt as he locks eyes with Hideo's sharingan. The crimson eyes appear even more feral due to Hideo's technique combined with the twenty-one year-old's anger.

Hideo snarls at the injured man, bearing his elongated fangs. "My family consists of some of the best ninjas Konoha has ever seen. Two of them are Legendary Sannin. My sister could kick your ass blindfolded with both arms and a leg tied behind her back. That's without Kazuki helping her either. You aren't even worthy of licking shit from Akari-chan's shoes much less going on a single date with her. You constantly insult me. You say I am inferior to you and yet here you are at my mercy."

Joji mentally curses himself because now he's pushed his rival too far. Years of verbal abuse have boiled down to this moment. Hideo won't let him walk away and this time, no one is here to rein the raven in.

* * *

**(1) Shikyaku no Jutsu: Beast Mimicry/Four-Legged Technique**

**I think I may have made Hideo's reaction a bit over the top. He seems a little too angry…almost murderous. Not quite what I intended, but I couldn't bring myself to redo the scene. Let me know what you think and don't forget to vote in my poll. I'm going to have some free time with it being summer so I need to know which new fanfictions I should start working on.**

**Comment, Compliments, and Complaints are always welcome!**


	15. Revelations

**This is my first chapter that I've done on my brand new laptop. I got it as a gift for graduation. Gotta admit that it's pretty sweet. And, I bought Sims 3 so I can bring that with me to college. –grins-**

**I also have some extra time on my hands because I got all four of my wisdom teeth taken out. That means I don't have to go to work! I have to say though that the whole eating thing sucks. My dad bought the chicken from Jewel (amazing!) and taunted me with the smell. So I'm stuck eating jello, yogurt, pudding, Mac 'n' Cheese, and ice cream. All are good, but I don't want to eat that stuff for days straight. I can only live off that stuff for so long! Yet, I'm surprisingly in very little pain. It's more discomfort that I'm feeling than anything. Haven't needed to take any Vicodin yet and I'm just on the Motrin to be on the safe side. –shrugs- I guess I have a high threshold for pain.**

**Anyway, enough of that. I know you all clicked to read the new chapter so I won't deny you any longer.**

* * *

**Revelations**

"Hideo?!"

Kane had been enjoying his day off when there was a knock on the door. It would be an understatement to say he got a surprise when he opened the door to reveal his friend with a swollen jaw and a faint bruise around his left eye.

"What the hell happened to you?" the Tsuki demands as Hideo steps around him and into the house.

The Sharingan user eases down on the other male's couch with a sigh. Lifting his left arm, he finally speaks. "Something's been wrong with it ever since I was treated by that trainee yesterday."

"Hideo…" the blue-eyed teen begins. "You have injuries to your face and yet you pretend they aren't there. Do you think I'm blind?"

The older man stares at the medic-nin, eyes calculating. "Well…you aren't wearing your glasses."

Displeasure shows on Kane's features at the comment as he crosses his arms impatiently. "My eyesight is not that far gone." All the same, the teen locates his glasses and places them on his face.

"I…I had a little dispute with Hyuuga Joji," Hideo admits reluctantly. "I think I might have a cracked rib too."

Kane's eyes widen a fraction at his friend's confession as he approaches the older man. Although Hideo expressed concern for his arm, it seems to only be causing him mental distress while his other wounds cause him actual pain. Deciding it best to save the arm for last, the doctor gets to work on the black eye first.

"My sister had plans to go out with Joji later this week," the blue-eyed male states slowly. "I know for a fact that you don't like the guy."

"I couldn't help it," Hideo mutters as he stares down at his palms. They are covered lightly with dirt and specks of blood. His tone holds regret which Kane has never heard his elder express before. "I was just so angry and then I ran into him which only made everything worse. If my arm didn't start to hurt, I don't know if I would've stopped before I killed him."

The sorrow in Hideo's voice has Kane worried and he is unable to hold his tongue.

"Where is Joji now?"

Hideo lifts his gaze to meet the medic's fearful blue pools. "I dropped him off at the hospital before I came here. He was still conscious when we got there but just barely. We talked on the way. I know it doesn't fix what I did, but I apologized. It sounded like he understood although I know I'm not completely forgiven."

"If you were already at the hospital, why would you haul yourself all the way over here?" Kane asks as he raises Hideo's shirt to check his torso.

"I just beat up your sister's boyfriend. The last thing I need is to be there when she finds out."

The seventeen year-old nods in comprehension. "So now you're going to avoid her. Just how long do you think you can keep that up?"

Sensing the mocking tone, Hideo stands abruptly. "What are you implying?"

Kane's eyes narrow despite the ANBU's larger size and greater ability. His desire to defend himself is stronger than his fear of upsetting his friend. "You just beat someone up because of my sister, Hideo. To be honest, I would've done the same once I found out. Unless it was someone from such a prestigious clan as it had been in this case. I don't approve of my sister's suitors because I know what's on their minds." The young man inhales deeply as his eyes close briefly. "I can put two and two together, Hideo. I also know what is on _your_ mind. I used to deny it when Hoshi told me about your feelings for my sister, but now I see it so clearly. And I must say…I wouldn't have chosen anyone else. Although I certainly don't approve of the Joji situation, I know you must care a great deal about Akari because of it."

Hideo lifts an eyebrow questioningly. "My sister talks to you about this stuff?"

"Hoshi and I talk about a lot of things," Kane replies with a soft smile. Noticing Hideo's glare, the Tsuki chuckles and a knowing smile sweeps across his face. "Relax Hideo. What's between Hoshi and I is merely platonic. We have the same expression when it comes to our sisters and possible suitors."

The Uchiha runs a hand through his dark locks before resting on the couch once more. With that, the medic turns his attention to Hideo's left arm. After a careful inspection, Kane discovers that Hideo has received damage to his chakra network. He concludes that Hamamoto unintentionally caused the injury yesterday when he tried to heal the Uchiha.

"There's a technique I can use to fix this. Since the damage isn't severe, the procedure shouldn't take too long," Kane explains. "You may feel a little weak afterward however. I would recommend that you don't do any strenuous activity for the next few days at the most. That includes missions. I'll inform the Hokage about your situation so you will be off active duty and have time to recover fully."

"Arigato," Hideo murmurs as Kane's hands glow green.

* * *

Akari stares in shock at the young Hyuuga resting in the hospital bed. The medic treating Joji allowed her to read the file containing the report of the wounds. The shinobi had received severe burns to his right arm, shoulder, and chest. Meanwhile, his other arm has been shattered as well as dislocated from the shoulder. Deep slashes mar various areas of Joji's body. The patient also suffers from a broken ankle and strained neck. His nose had been broken and dark bruises have formed beneath his eyes along with several other body parts. And that is just the damage Akari can see. According to the report, one of Joji's lungs has collapsed too.

At the moment, Akari is also concerned that Joji retained a head injury because he claims to not recall how this happened to him.

Taking a seat at Joji's bedside, Akari lightly brushes his hair away from his face. The various tubes attached to the young ninja turn the medic's stomach. How could this have happened to him?

Eyelids open slightly to reveal milky white orbs.

"Akari…I'm sorry."

The brunette's brow furrows in confusion. "You have nothing to be sorry about Joji-kun. Just rest. We'll figure out how this happened. Don't worry."

The male places his hand upon her own. "I _do_ have a reason to be sorry. I lied to you about that necklace, Akari. I know I deserve this beating because I know who did it and why. I wish I cared as much about someone as the one who gave you that gift does for you."

"What?"

Joji smiles weakly up at the young woman. "I did not give you that necklace. Someone else did. Someone who I have ridiculed time and time again. I've been downright horrible and cruel. These injuries make up for the abuse I dealt to that individual."

"Who did this to you?"

"Ask Tsunade-sama."

After forcing Joji to promise he'd rest, Akari leaves the room in search of the head medic. Finding Tsunade in her office with a bottle of empty sake and a good mood, she deems it a good opportunity to pry for answers. However, Tsunade seems to have the ability to read her mind.

"You're wondering about the Hyuuga in room 353, aren't you?" the fifth Hokage asks. After receiving a nod, the blonde continues. "The burns are congruent with several other patients over the months so I believe it's safe to assume they are caused by a fire-style jutsu favored by a certain Uchiha. That boy definitely received some of his mother's temperament. If it weren't for Hideo's reputation, most of the medics around here probably wouldn't have covered for him. Alas, they're all hesitant to get on an Uchiha's bad side especially after seeing his victims."

"H-Hideo did this?" Akari asks in shock.

"Yeah. Apparently, he doesn't like your boyfriends all that much."

"How can you be so sure that it was him?" the younger woman presses as Tsunade searches for another bottle of sake.

"I'm the Head Medic. Therefore, I can keep information secret from other medics as well as civilians and other shinobi. Knowing that, Uchiha Hideo asked me to help him out and I agreed." Tsunade sighs as she rummages through the drawers of her desk. "However, I've grown tired of his actions therefore I don't plan on helping anymore."

Brown eyes move to Akari's face. "I'm telling you this because I believe you can stop this flow of patients. I already have my hands full and I don't need that Uchiha making things even more difficult for me. Now get out of my office."

Stunned, the brunette exits and wanders the halls of the hospital. How could Hideo do this? Her thoughts are racing as she walks out the main doors and stares mindlessly at the sky. Her confusion is fostering into anger the longer she's alone with her thoughts. Hideo had no right to end her relationships. All she was doing was seeing what was available to her and there's nothing wrong with that. Akari had pined on him like a little lost puppy for so long and now that she was trying to get a taste of happiness, he was ruining her chances.

Tears threaten to spill from her eyes and she quickly wipes them away. With a new goal in mind, Akari ventures into the heart of the village in search of her so-called best friend. Asking around helps little as the eighteen year-old searches for the ANBU member. Knowing him, he doesn't want to be found which makes it all the more difficult for her. She can't try to pick up his chakra signature because he'll be masking it. He won't wander off alone because someone will see him and tell her the direction he had gone. Hideo will stay in a crowd. He is so good at not drawing attention to himself that he may as well be invisible to the many eyes in the village.

It is as she is walking past the Yamanaka flower shop that she finally gets word of Hideo. Ino, who is watering the flowers outside, says she had just seen the Uchiha pass by not even a minute ago.

Heading in the direction Ino indicates, Akari spots the familiar red and white fan not far up ahead. Calling his name, the brunette gets Hideo's attention. The Uchiha turns only to receive a slap across his face. The stinging begins instantly as a red handprint appears on the man's skin. Lifting his hand to touch his tender cheek, Hideo stares at his friend in shock as his ears ring from the sound of the slap.

"I know what you did to Joji and the others. Why would you do such a thing?" Akari demands as tears threaten to spill from her eyes once more. This time however, she isn't sure if they are tears of anger at Hideo's actions or sadness at the pain written upon his face.

In response to the question, the Sharingan user remains silent and almost seems to be ignoring the medic. This only serves to increase Akari's frustration.

"Answer me, you bastard!"

Now she has added insult to injury and it causes an immediate reaction from Hideo. The harsh glare directed at the shorter woman from her best friend makes it difficult for her to stand her ground. "I'm the bastard?" he growls as Akari returns the glare. "They're the bastards."

A thought crosses the eighteen year-olds mind. "Is this what your promise involved? Did my father put you up to this?"

"No."

"Then, why are you doing this? Why do you care so much?"

"I don't."

"Then why the hell do you keep attacking my dates?!"

"Because they're unworthy bastards and you deserve someone better!" Hideo finally snaps causing Akari to fall silent.

Meanwhile, the dispute has drawn attention to the arguing couple and now all eyes are on the two. Ever aware of his environment, Hideo performs a quick transportation jutsu and the two are surrounded by smoke. When the smoke clears, Akari discovers that they have been moved to a much more secluded part of Konoha. The shops are gone and they are now close to the Ninja Academy.

Sensing Hideo's glare, Akari reluctantly meets his angry black pools again.

"They are the ones who want you only for your body and here I am getting yelled at!" the Uchiha snarls. "I've known you your entire life Akari. I'm taking care of what you are failing to see, not ruin your life. I want you to be happy and I know that those guys won't give you that. What kind of friend would I be if I did look out for you? You are oblivious to their motives and because I step in to make sure they don't succeed, I'm the bad guy!"

The brunette is left speechless as her friend takes deep breaths in an effort to calm himself. After a moment, Akari tries to wrap her arms around the Uchiha.

"I'm sorry. I didn't realize-"

"No. You're right," the ANBU member interrupts. "I was out of line and I'll stop."

The young woman pulls back and looks up at him. A kiss is placed on her forehead.

"I'll stop if you want me to," Hideo murmurs softly causing Akari to question the meaning of his statement. Hideo's face continues to draw closer until his lips are just a breath away from brushing Akari's. "But only if you wish it, Akari-chan."

The medic's heart is pounding in her chest at the Sharingan user's proximity and her eyelids drift closed. He has paused momentarily to test her reaction. Satisfied when she doesn't create distance between them, Hideo completely closes the almost nonexistent gape.

The slight increase of pressure is enough to make Akari gasp. After all this time, she has finally gotten what she wanted although it didn't happen quite the way she had fantasized. The contact has caused the medic's mind to short-circuit leaving her unable to respond to Hideo's kiss like she so desperately wants too. As Hideo's soft lips caress her own, all Akari can do is grab fistfuls of his shirt in hopes of keeping him there longer. But despite her hold, the light kiss ends in a matter of seconds (far too quickly) and Akari's eyes open only to find that she is alone.

For a brief moment, she wonders if the encounter ever occurred, but the tingle of her lips tells her that it did. Akari suddenly feels cold due to the absence of Hideo. He had been so close that she could actually feel his body heat wrap around her. It had given her a sense of security, but now he has run off. No doubt she had hurt him and now the Uchiha was planning on ending his involvement in her life just as he had said.

The thought makes Akari's heart ache and the eighteen year old hurries off in the direction of Hoshi's house to seek some much needed comfort and advice.

* * *

**Again, this one didn't turn out quite how I wanted it to. However, I did read it over and make some additions/alterations that I am pleased with. I hope you enjoy them as well and I look forward to hearing all of your thoughts about this chapter or the story so far as a whole.**

**By the way, I've already got some ideas swimming around in my head for Hoshi's story. If you really want me to start working on it, I suggest you vote on my poll or letting me know in a review/PM. The poll is close, but as of right now, Hoshi's story is in third.**


	16. Testing Bonds

**So, we had a party to celebrate my (golden) birthday, graduation, and my brother's eighth grade promotion. Luckily, the rain stopped like an hour before the party started and we were able to have it outside. It was awesome and I got to spend the day with most of the people I care about. But I just want to rant for a moment because it's been bugging me and I haven't really talked about it.**

**-deep breath- So, I have this friend who lives about an hour away. For the sake of this story, I'll call him Ryan. His parents are actually friends of **_**my**_** parents, but he's still my friend. Anyway, their family comes to the party which is totally awesome because we hardly ever see each other. Well, my cousin (girl) ditched the party momentarily (half an hour) to hang out with some (guy) friends at the Dairy Queen across the street. My aunt calls her cell and tells her there's a cute, tall sixteen year old playing volleyball. Since I've had a small crush on Ryan for the past few years, I'll admit the guy is cute. Next thing I know, my cousin who does not like sports has returned to the party and is now playing volleyball and giggling like a cheerleader…no offense. I would also like to curse my friend that just happened to show up at that moment causing me to stop playing volleyball (I was there first!) and introduce her to everyone.**

**I'm not the most outgoing person out there, but when I'm hanging out with Ryan, we just click. Although we may not see each other for many months at a time, it's doesn't appear that way when we get together. And we have so much in common unlike him and my cousin. Besides, I've known him for a lot longer than her!**

**Still, I'm enjoying the fact that I'm now eighteen. (Maybe things will work out better next time Ryan and I are together. It **_**is**_** legal as long as there's parental consent which I doubt would be a problem. –winks-) I even took my birthday off because there's no way I was going to work. Unfortunately, my phone was screwed up for most of the day so when people would call to wish me a Happy Birthday, I couldn't answer. Things turned out fine though and I really enjoyed my day of relaxation.**

**By now, I'm sure whoever actually read the A/N is grown sick of my venting so I'll stop. This chapter is a little unexpected because I just kept building off of what I originally wanted to write. Therefore, I have a much larger scene opening up to the actually focus of the chapter than I intended. However, I'm pleased with the additions and I hope you are as well because it has given me ideas that flow nicely with the story (something I've been having trouble with). And fyi, this chapter is longer than normal! Also, the rating has gone from T to M because I want to play it safe and ease my paranoia.**

* * *

**Testing Bonds**

Uchiha Hoshi took great pride in her ability to read people. She could easily determine an individual's personality by examining their choice of attire, posture, and the way they walk. On the occasions that she makes a mistake, she finds it difficult to accept despite being fully aware that she can't be right one hundred percent of the time. Therefore, she wasn't surprised when there was a knock on her door not long after her brother left her home.

Sighing, the jounin ponders why people can't give her some peace and quiet. She had literally just ditched a pair of fanboys who could not have been a day older than thirteen when she ran into her older brother. Now, she has more company which she is almost positive that it will be unwanted.

Rising from her spot on the couch, Hoshi carefully steps around the slumbering Kazuki before heading for the door. Annoyed, the grumpy kunoichi only opens the door a crack as she shoots a glare at the individual that decided to disturb her. Akari apparently takes no notice of her friend's foul mood despite the fact that Hoshi obviously doesn't wish to have her ears talked off about the not-relationship between her Aniki and best friend.

"Where have you been? I came by earlier but you weren't home," the medic questions.

"I was out," Hoshi mutters moodily as she opens the door a little wider. "You know I can't just sit around and do nothing when it's so sunny."

Accepting the response, Akari continues. "Have you seen Hideo? I can't find him anywhere."

"He went on a mission," Hoshi replies although she needs to hide her slight surprise. She had not expected those words to come out of Akari's mouth. She had been prepared for something more along the lines of 'I can't stop thinking about him' or even 'he caught me staring at his ass.'

"He can't be out on another mission so soon. I just saw him two hours ago! He couldn't have left already," Akari exclaims as she slips past Hoshi and into the house.

The brunette walks directly into the kitchen and Hoshi hears the other woman shuffle around before returning with a carton of ice cream and a spoon. Hoshi mentally praises herself for hiding her favorite ice cream so Akari had to grab the one she bought specifically for situations like this.

As the medic plops down on the couch, she opens the carton of the healing treat with a sigh. Hoshi crosses her arms over her chest as her best friend shoves a spoonful of the chocolate dairy product into her mouth. Now, the young woman is curious.

"What's wrong? Why do you need Hideo so badly?"

The older of the two brings her hands up to cover her face, but not before Hoshi detects the faint blush her friend had been trying to hide. Again, the young female finds her interest peaked.

"He kissed me," Akari finally admits quietly.

Hoshi is frozen for a moment as the words repeat in her mind. "Are you serious?" The medic gives a small nod in response as she continues to eat her ice cream. Despite Akari's mood, the Uchiha beams all the same. "I always knew he liked you! What happened next?"

"He ran away." The answer is quiet unlike Hoshi's reaction.

"WHAT?!" Her shout effectively rouses her napping partner. The canine jumps up and looks around frantically as his fur bristles. "You need to talk to him."

"I know, but he's on a mission."

"No, he's not," Hoshi confesses causing the elder to blink dumbly. "Hideo made me promise not to let anyone bother him. He's at his house right now."

With that, the young woman grabs her best friend by the hand, places the carton of chocolate ice cream on the table, and nearly drags her back to the front door. "I want you to march over there and work this out. I don't care how you do it, but this is long overdue."

"Hoshi," Akari mutters uncertainly. "You said he didn't want to be disturbed. He probably won't even open the door for me."

"You don't need him to open the door," the Uchiha states as she grins widely. Her larger than average canines increase the mischievousness of the expression. Fishing out her keys from her pocket, Hoshi quickly removes one from the ring before pressing it into her friend's hand. "I hereby give you permission to enter my Niisan's house and ravish him. Good luck!"

The younger woman then proceeds to push the medic out of her house before closing the door. Still beaming, Hoshi returns the ice cream to the freezer.

"You know, if anything of that sort _does_ happen between Hideo and Akari, we will probably be able to hear it," Kazuki deadpans from the living room. "And knowing your brother's stamina, they could very well be at it the whole night."

"Hey Kazuki," the jounin begins as she enters the living room once more and looks over at her companion. "Shut up."

The red dog chuckles as his partner reclaims her seat on the couch. Unfortunately, she must get up again all too soon when there's another knock on her door.

"For the love of Kami, Akari!" Hoshi huffs loudly as she stomps over to the door. "Just go over to Hideo's house, stick the key in the hole, unlock the door, and screw him until y-you…ah…you're not Akari."

Kane shakes his head slowly as Hoshi's face heats up. She'd just informed her best friend's protective little brother that Akari was planning on doing the dirty with Hideo. It was moments like this that Hoshi really hated as rare as they were. She had misjudged someone's actions, but not just anyone. She should've known from simply reading her best friend's body language that she wouldn't come back.

There's silence between the two as Hoshi studies the young doctor. She can almost see his mind reeling at the thought of his sister doing something with her brother. His body is tense as if he's ready to run and she doesn't miss the way his eyes flick over in the direction of her brother's residence.

"Not so fast mister." She quickly grabs his arm before he can bolt and ruin Akari and Hideo's chance of finally starting a relationship. The younger man attempts to break away, but Hoshi's grip on his arm is unwavering. She successfully yanks Kane into her home and closes the door.

"Let me go Hoshi. That's my big sister you were talking about!" the onyx haired man argues as he struggles to get around the Uchiha.

"Yeah, and that's my big brother so we're kinda in the same situation," she retorts as she pushes him into a sitting position on her couch. "Besides, they probably won't do anything beyond make out. I was just kidding around before."

Kane's face flushes at the comment and Hoshi momentarily wonders if he's that embarrassed by the subject. Pointing at his red stained cheeks, the woman decides to tease him.

"Does the mention of sex really make you that uncomfortable?" she asks with a mocking smile.

The medic-nin glares at her and looks away as his cheeks heat up even more. She could've sworn he was pouting. Still, she has effectively distracted the younger ninja and that's what matters although he may be a little upset with her.

"It's not the topic that makes me uncomfortable. It's who is involved that bothers me," Kane mutters as he glares at Hoshi from the corner of his eye. "And I know Akari has been waiting a long time for something to happen with Hideo. Neither will be thinking straight and stuff is gonna happen. Stuff that Tousan will be pissed about when he finds out."

"If he finds out," Hoshi corrects as she shoots Kane a meaningful look.

The medic-nin shakes his head. "I can't just sit on the sidelines, Hoshi. Tousan will kill me if he finds out I could've done something, but didn't!"

Again, the seventeen year old tries to rise. In a desperate attempt to stop him, Hoshi seizes the collar of Kane's shirt and does something drastic.

"Mmph!"

His lips are surprisingly soft against hers and she watches through half-lidded eyes as Kane's struggling dies. When the male gradually lifts his hand to hold the back of her head, Hoshi becomes bolder. Her open mouth kisses elicit a groan from Kane as he returns her affection. The younger ninja's reaction is encouraging and the Uchiha finds her eyes drifting closed. Slowly, her hands release his collar and entangle themselves in his dark locks.

There's a rhythm to the act which is unexpected. There is nothing awkward about what they are doing. They are not strangers to one another and the two actually care about each other thus there is a certain level of comfort. The feeling of their lips moving against the other's mouth gives them a sense of bliss. All they can think about is their desire for more of _this_.

Reluctantly, Hoshi pulls away and opens her eyes to a pleasant sight. Now that his mind has caught up with what his body has just done, Kane's face is beet red and even his clothes are slightly ruffled after making out with the female Uchiha. His black hair is disheveled and his glasses are askew, but Hoshi finds his appearance cute or even (dare she admit it) sexy.

"Did…did you just…." Kane tries to speak, but he seems to be completely dazed.

Hoshi pats his cheek affectionately and can feel the heat of his blush against her palm. "Aa…and you kissed me back," she replies softly.

Pleased by the fact that she has distracted the young man, Hoshi also discovers that she no longer completely regrets her mistake earlier. Perhaps venting her frustration to the wrong person wasn't that bad after all.

Standing up straight, Hoshi smiles at her friend. "Now, what was it you came by for?"

Silence greets Hoshi as Kane merely gapes at her. To her dismay, the kunoichi must suppress a fit of giggles due to her friend's expression. The female Uchiha never giggles and the idea that she nearly did scares her a little. Plus, she just made out with her best friend's younger brother and although Kane is seventeen, he is still Hoshi's junior by a year.

Suddenly, Hoshi seems to comprehend what she has just done and she inwardly groans upon realizing that this turn of events is going to keep her up the next few nights.

* * *

His thoughts had not changed since he left Akari in the middle of the street. His mind continuously replays the act of kissing the medic. Despite the proximity of their faces, Hideo had been so nervous that he feared he'd miss completely. Her scent is intoxicating and even that hasn't left his nostrils.

Lying faced down on his bed, Hideo buries his face in his pillows. When there is a knock on his door, he mumbles a few curses, but doesn't move from his position on the bed. It isn't until Toshio barks that Hideo decides to finally get up and investigate.

When the Sharingan user finds the object of his thoughts petting Toshi, he isn't sure how to feel. On the one hand, he is glad Akari still wants him to be a part of her life after all he'd done. But on the other hand, the Uchiha didn't want to see the woman that just hurt him so soon. He contemplates the option of just leaving before she notices him, but Toshio makes the decision for him.

"Hideo, Akari-chan is here."

"…Aa, I see that."

Sensing the uneasiness in Hideo's voice, the dog peers over his shoulder in the direction of his master. The lack of light has the Uchiha standing in the shadows and Toshi can only pick up his outline.

Confused, the canine turns his attention back to the crouched medic who has stopped petting him. The woman's expression is one of misery and Toshi wonders what had happened between the two ninja. Hideo's state of depression since he returned home earlier that day had baffled the midnight blue dog and the shinobi wouldn't speak of the cause.

"Why did you run away?" Akari whispers suddenly.

Toshi cocks his head at the question before directing his gaze towards the ANBU member. Hideo is silent for a moment as his calculating eyes read the medic.

"I did not run away," Hideo replies. "I did exactly as I said and stepped aside so you could pursue happiness without my involvement."

"If you were going to stop, why did you kiss me?!" Akari snaps as she straightens. "Kissing me is a lousy way to end your involvement in my life."

A sound of surprise emits from the Sharingan user as the mention of the kiss strikes a chord within him. Meanwhile, Toshio is not sure what to make of this. His head pivots as he looks back and forth between Hideo and Akari. The silence stretches on until Hideo turns his back on the medic and begins walking away.

"Why did you kiss me?" Akari demands forcefully.

Hideo pauses and glances over his shoulder. By now, his sharp eyes have fully adjusted to the darkness and the sight of tears welling up in his friend's eyes pulls at his heart. But he can see it now. The emotion that brought her to him and is keeping her here despite how coldly he is treating her. No matter how hard he tried to push her away to keep himself from feeling a pain that he thought was inevitable.

"For the same reason you came here," Hideo states with a bitter smile. "I thought you were smarter than that, Akari-koi."

The suffix results in both Akari and Toshio staring slack-jawed at the raven haired male. Onyx locks with sapphire before Hideo turns away and continues towards his room. It takes a moment for Akari to return to reality and follow her friend. Leaning against the door frame, the medic watches as the man crawls under the covers and lies on his bed with his back to her.

Sensing her gaze, Hideo sighs then turns over. Propping himself up on his elbows, he asks "What?"

The brunette is tentative as she ventures further into the room. "There's something I want to give you," she states as she sits on the bed near his legs. "Tousan and Kane may not be very pleased, but…"

Akari looks down at her hands as she wrings them nervously. Noticing her behavior, Hideo places a hand on top of hers.

"What is it?" he asks softly.

The medic glances at the ANBU member before gathering her courage and slowly leaning towards him. Again, Hideo's heightened sense of smell is assaulted by the Tsuki's scent making his focus drift.

He vaguely hears the young woman say "You're so stupid, Hideo-kun" before he feels her lips press tentatively against his. There is little hesitation on his part to return the kiss and pull her closer.

A moan is heard from Akari and she becomes a bit more forceful. Hideo finds himself laying flat on his back with his hands on the medic's hips as she hovers over him. Her hands have slipped beneath his shirt and are tracing his abs. Understanding her desire to see more of him, Hideo pulls off his shirt revealing his taut chest and defined abdominal muscles.

His hands come up to the headband around her neck and slowly untie it before dropping it off the side of the bed. Tilting her head back, the Uchiha licks the medic's exposed neck teasingly. Encouraged by the noises Akari makes, Hideo connects their mouths again in a passionate kiss and flips them over. His right hand caresses her cheek while his fingers trail down her arm and towards the hem of her shirt before traveling back up her sides, tracing every curve of her figure. His feather light touch leaves her skin tingling and she arches towards him in an attempt to satisfy her need for more contact.

The movement beneath him only serves to increase Hideo's desire as Akari's hip moves against his groin. The unintentional grinding causes the Uchiha to break away from the medic and stare down at her. Now, it's his hands that are under her shirt, holding her hips as his thumbs move in sensual circles. Lust-filled black pools zero in on Akari's equally hazy ones, silently asking for permission to go further.

"It looks like I'm going to give you something I didn't plan on tonight. Tousan's really not going to be happy about this," the brunette murmurs as she wraps her arms around the Sharingan user's neck. Her finger become tangled in his dark locks. "He'll probably kill you."

Pulling Hideo's head down again, Akari plants her mouth firmly on his before pushing her tongue into his mouth. With a groan, the twenty year-old closes his eyes and begins to reciprocate only to have the young woman pull away.

"I'd like to see him try," Hideo replies jokingly to her last statement after taking a breath.

When the young man doesn't hear a response from Akari, he opens his eyes and what Akari has just told him suddenly dawns on him. The nervousness he sees in her eyes as they search his tell him that Akari is not completely comfortable with her decision.

"We don't have to do this, Akari-chan," Hideo says softly. He attempt to move away, but the eighteen year-old tightens her grip.

"I want to…so badly…It's just…"

Her eyes search his and he realizes what she wants. He knows exactly what is making part of her uncertain about her choice. She has been ready for a while now and the two know everything about each other. It isn't too soon for them because they've wanted it for so long and were so close that they may as well have been in an official relationship already. But the medic needs conformation. Akari hasn't heard him say anything about his own feelings.

His heart swells and Hideo nearly grins as he hugs the woman tightly to his chest. The action surprises her almost as much as the words he whispers near her ear.

"I love you, Akari-koi." Gentle kisses are slowly placed along her jaw and the corner of her mouth before Hideo lifts his head to look at her. "I truly mean it."

A smile spreads across the brunette's features as she replies "I love you too."

Hideo leans down and kisses her lovingly while Akari holds him tightly. Slipping his tongue into her mouth, the Uchiha explores every inch before stroking the wet muscle that meets his. Her taste is something that the twenty year-old with never tire of. Meanwhile, Akari trails a hand down her lover's bare chest all the way down to the edge of his pants. Brushing against his groin teasingly, the medic discovers just how much Hideo is enjoying this. The action results in the ANBU member breaking their kiss and gasping. His eyes are tightly shut while Akari places kisses on his exposed throat. When she comes across a particularly sensitive spot, she earns a groan from the man above her.

Still squeezing his eyes shut, Hideo reaches down between their bodies to grab both of Akari's hands. One had continued its ministrations on the growing bulge in his pants while the other worked at pulling down the clothing separating them completely. With one hand, he manages to pin both of Akari's above her head.

The medic can't help but feel proud of the effect she has on the male. His breathing is labored and his pale skin is beginning to shine with a light sheen of sweat. His dark hair is sticking to his forehead and his onyx eyes are clouded with lust. She shoots him an innocent smile in return.

"Smile for now, koi because you won't be so innocent after I'm done with you," he whispers huskily.

A shiver is sent through Akari's body and she tilts her head back for Hideo to attack her neck. Nips, kisses, and licks are scattered across the expanse of her throat causing her to moan loudly in pleasure. He can feel the rapidness of her pulse against his lips telling him that Akari is taking pleasure in his actions. Hot hands move across her smooth stomach heating up every inch of the soft skin that they touch. Their bliss mounts with each little form of contact. The hot coil in her abdomen burns and tightens. This is the best form of torture imaginable.

Through everything, Hideo is nothing but gentle and Akari is amazed by how much control the male has. Every muscle of his body is hard beneath her fingertips, but not once does he hurt her despite his strength. The shinobi is a weapon. As an ANBU member, he is one of the elite assassins of Konoha. And yet, here he is showing her that she is the most precious thing in his world. Holding her as if she were as fragile as a porcelain doll.

* * *

**Koi: love**

**Yeah…I'm not exactly sure what to say after that. To be honest, I'm not very comfortable with affection whether it be public or private so I'm actually a little surprised that I even wrote that last scene. Then again, the whole Hoshi and Kane scene made me happy the entire time I was writing it…whatever. I'm just weird.**

**There will be a significant amount of Itachi/Hana in the next chapter. Or at least, there should be. I haven't exactly written it yet so I'm not one hundred percent on that. But I can guarantee that there will be some ItaHana stuff which will mostly be seen from Itachi's point of view.**

**You guys are awesome and it's all of you that keep me writing so I just want to thank you all. Your reviews help me learn what you like or don't like about my work and your comments tell me what to build off of or even point me in a direction I didn't even notice. It's often your reviews that inspire me and make the next chapter come out faster. I just feel better about the story when I get reviews and it makes me want to work even more.**


	17. Divulging Their Relationship

**Went to freshman orientation and got my schedule all worked out. I'm really looking forward to college although at times, it seems a bit intimidating. I do find it a little funny that I'm already checking out how to get back home and I haven't even left yet. But that's because I need to come back so I can attend a wedding. (Love you Dani! I told you I would make sure I came!) So, yeah. I'm excited about the whole situation. Just need to hear who my roommate is, buy stuff for my dorm room, and figure out when my last day of work is going to be. I can't believe I need to do the whole process of applying for a job all over again! At least I can come back and work at my old job when I'm on break.**

* * *

**Divulging Their Relationship**

It is impossible for Hideo to explain the immense joy he feels when he wakes up to Akari in his arms. The woman's face is almost buried in the crook of his neck and each breath is a warm puff of air against his skin that reassures him of her presence. Arms are wrapped around his torso and legs are intertwined with his own as Akari's body presses against him. He can feel how soft her skin is due to the lack of clothing upon either of their bodies. Her bare flesh threatens to drive him wild. Despite her nudity (just because the sheets strategically hide the area below her belly button from his view doesn't mean Hideo isn't aware of her state of undress), the medic's innocent smile has not left her face from last night.

Although the Uchiha has the tendency to avoid physical contact, he finds that he is content lying in his lover's arms. He is also surprised to find that he has slung an arm around her waist at some point during the night. And despite the twinge of pain in the arm Kane just repaired yesterday, Hideo can't bring himself to regret going against the young doctor's orders.

Pulled from his thought by the shifting of the woman beside him, dark eyes focus again on Akari. The eighteen year old moans softly in her sleep as she readjusts her position before settling once more.

It isn't until there's a sudden knock on his door that Hideo wonders just how late he had slept. Taking a quick glance at the clock on his nightstand, he quickly determines that he has in fact woken up later than normal and now someone has come looking for him. His thoughts border panic as he realizes that it could also be someone searching for the brunette that is currently sharing his bed.

Reluctantly, the Sharingan user slips away from Akari and out of bed. The combination of the knocking and Hideo leaving rouses the woman. Only half awake, she blinks at her boyfriend who gives her a chaste peck on the forehead before telling her to rest some more. Figuring it best not to answer the door in his birthday suit, Hideo quickly throws on a pair of sweatpants. When he finally opens the door, the raven mentally curses.

Kiba is grinning widely at him as he wishes him a good morning and Akamaru barks in greeting.

"You ready for that training session? Akamaru and I are dying to defeat your latest jutsu," the Inuzuka states. A scent reaches the shinobi's nose and he sniffs curiously. His grin wavers momentarily as he asks the younger nin what the smell is.

"Ohayou Ojisan **(1)**," Hideo greets politely as he ignores the last question. "Gomen **(2)**. I actually won't be able to train with you today. Kane just did a procedure on my arm and I can't strain it. I've even been taken off active duty because of it."

The smile on the older ninja's face falls completely as he observes his nephew. He knows the source of the smell, but decides not to pry. He need not be involved in that part of Hideo's personal life. Although for a young man trying to keep a secret, the twenty-one year old certainly didn't put much effort into his appearance. Kiba has trouble remembering a time he'd ever seen Hideo with hair almost as wild as his own. Still, the Inuzuka senses truth in the raven's explanation for not being able to train today.

"Maybe we can go on a hike tomorrow," Hideo suggests. He feels guilty for turning down his uncle's offer to spend time together at the last minute. It is not often that his uncle is able to escape the duties as the Inuzuka clan head in order to visit with his only nephew. "I'm sure I'll have recovered enough by then that I'll have the energy."

Kiba smiles as he ruffles the ANBU member's dark locks. "Sounds good to me."

Hideo fidgets under his uncle's gaze as the elder explains which trail would be best for them tomorrow considering Hideo's condition. Movement behind Kiba suddenly catches the Uchiha's attention and he discreetly peers around the older nin. It appears that his sister had decided to take a walk around the compound. He eyes her carefully as she makes her way passed his home. Hoshi's chocolate colored eyes are drooped in exhaustion and the air about her lacks its normal liveliness.

Her eyes flick over in the direction of Hideo's house to see her brother and uncle conversing. It isn't until she's completed six steps that her mind finally comprehends what she just saw and her body freezes mid-stride. A second glance confirms that Hideo is only donning a pair of sweatpants and his black hair is far too messy to be labeled bed head. That and the Uchiha failed to realize he has faint scratches on his chest (not to mention his back) and a possessive love-bite on his collarbone.

Hideo visibly flinches when he sees Hoshi instantly snap awake and her sharp eyes travel over his form. The dark bags below the female's eyes (the result of a sleepless night) seem to diminish as a wide grin consumes her features and her usual cheerful aura returns. This news has perked her up which does not bode well for Hideo.

He is just able to bid Kiba good-bye before Hoshi sprints off in the direction of their parents' home. He quickly takes off after her, but she already has a head start of about ten meters.

* * *

Insomnia was something Itachi frequently struggled with. Years of difficult training and torment at the hands of his clansmen had left him slightly damaged. Their attacks were random causing the young Sharingan wielder to sleep with one eye open or even two on nights where his otouto decided to curl up beside him. Even decades after their deaths, he is still plagued by paranoia just living within the walls of the compound that used to hold the Uchiha clan. The presence of the Haimaru triplets stationed around the room he shares with Hana has greatly helped with his problem, but there are still times where he just can't fall asleep.

Therefore, having already been awake, Itachi was able to sense his daughter's rapidly approaching chakra and kindly roused his wife from her slumber to prevent her from getting a far ruder awakening when Hoshi arrived. Besides, she's already slept in enough.

"Tousan! Kaasan!"

The sing-songy tone Hoshi uses makes Hana groan as she pulls a pillow over her head. Itachi's chuckling causes his wife to shoot him a glare.

"She truly is your daughter, Hana," he remarks teasingly.

The vet sits up and gives him a coy look as she rests her head upon his shoulder and brushes her hand across his chest. "You should know better than to patronize me, Ita-kun."

After the threat, the raven haired male merely rests his forehead against Hana's as he stares down at her. Unfortunately, their attention is drawn to their living room when a new voice is heard. Sighing, the couple exits their bed and makes their way down the hall towards their children. They are greeted by the sight of Hideo attempting to tackle his sister who repeatedly dances out of his reach. Hoshi is laughing uncontrollably as she continues to call for their parents whom neither has realized are standing in the doorway. The younger of the siblings is bouncing around the room as if she were on a sugar high. It is quite a scene.

Finally, Hoshi takes notice of Itachi and Hana. "Tousan, Kaasan, guess what Hideo did?!"

The momentary pause in her movement is enough for Hideo to get Hoshi in a headlock and slap a hand over her mouth to silence her. When his father clears his throat, Hideo's head snaps up. His eyes flick back and forth between his parents and he visibly pales. Not above playing dirty, Hoshi takes advantage of her brother's distraction and bites down hard on his hand. The raven yelps and quickly pulls his hand away.

"Hideo slept with Akari!"

The male's face erupts in a blush as he tries to make the situation better. "We're dating," he states quickly. "We've realized just how strongly we feel about one another and decided we want something more than a friendship."

Itachi can only stare blankly while Hana approaches their son and congratulates him. Hints of an amused smile manage to appear on the oldest Uchiha's face as Hideo looks to him for help. The traces of pity in Itachi's eyes tell the younger shinobi that his father is happy for him now that he is with Akari, but with the couple officially dating, certain things can't be helped.

While Hideo is busy calming his mother, Itachi takes this time to address his daughter who everyone else seems to have ignored for the most part. Her state of exhaustion is something he had not been able to overlook since the instant he noticed it. He does not need his Sharingan to see past Hoshi's mask and discover that something has disturbed the young kunoichi.

Managing to catch her eye, Itachi quirks a brow at his daughter. The eighteen year old's mood deflates and she drifts to his side. Her brown eyes are fixated on the floor.

"We must all have dinner together. It's been so long since the Tsuki came over for dinner anyway. Sorami and I were talking just the other day about all of us getting together," Hana suddenly exclaims. It seems the former Inuzuka has been making plans. "As of right now, none of us has received a mission. Tonight would be good, right Itachi?" The vet is looking at her husband expectantly.

"Aa…It'd probably be best for Hayato to find out about this with witnesses around," he replies smoothly with a smirk. Hana shoots him a glare which he responds to with a simple shrug.

"It's settled then." The brunette turns back to the stunned twenty year-old with a grin. "Go invite Akari-chan and her family to dinner here tonight."

"T-tonight," Hideo stammers as he gapes at his mother who is a head shorter than him.

"Yes tonight." The woman studies him for a moment before adding "You might want to wear a high collar shirt so Hayato doesn't see that hickey."

Hana then proceeds to drive her oldest child out of the house before going to prepare breakfast for the Haimaru Triplets. Meanwhile, Itachi has noticed Hoshi go tense at the mention of dinner with the Tsuki this evening.

"Is something wrong?" he asks her quietly.

"N-no Tousan. I just didn't expect to be present when the relationship became knowledge to Hayato-san. I've heard him threaten to castrate any male that touched his daughter inappropriately," Hoshi murmurs before smiling awkwardly up at Itachi. "I suppose I'll be one of the people restraining him tonight. Never thought that would happen."

The Sharingan user continues to stare down at the young woman making her uncomfortable. Her father can read her too well and the knowledge of that fact tells Hoshi that the ex-Akatsuki member knows something is up and no matter what she does, he will pursue the issue. He can sense her anxiety and if she were an enemy nin, he'd use the intimidation factor or his kekkei genkai to get answers. But Hoshi is not an enemy. She is his daughter. His own flesh and blood. He would never use such tactics on her. Instead, he uses a technique that plays off of her respect for him and the pressures of guilt.

"I don't like it when you lie to me, Hoshi." The teenager flinches and he continues. "I just wanted to know what was troubling you. You like to solve your problems on your own because you feel it makes you a stronger person, but normally, you'd share these things with me."

"Gomenasai Tousan. It's just that I'm not dealing with shinobi or Uchiha stuff. It's actual girl stuff for once and I know you wouldn't want to hear about it," she admits in a hushed voice. Hoping to escape further questioning, Hoshi proceeds to take her leave. "I should be on my way. I'll see you at dinner Tousan."

As she sidesteps the taller Uchiha, the jounin calls out to her mother in farewell. Her departure is quick and heightens Itachi's suspicion. Despite how much he would prefer to avoid such thoughts, his concern for his only daughter has his mind whirling with possible problems teenage girls may face. Puberty was over and done with so that could be ruled out immediately. The male species…a broad topic. There could be a variety of issues involving a man that Hoshi could be dealing with which would also explain her reluctance to discuss them with her protective father. As far as Itachi knows, Hoshi doesn't have a boyfriend so perhaps it's just that she's finally feeling an attraction rather than annoyance. Or she is annoyed more than usual because an individual did something she didn't take pleasure in. Well, the female Uchiha would never let anyone abuse her and Itachi knows she only receives bruises and other injuries from missions or training. However, Hoshi has still retained a fair amount of her innocence despite being turned into a lethal weapon. She wouldn't know how to react if someone other than her fanboys decided to pursue her. And the young kunoichi may be fully aware of sex, but Itachi knows she hasn't had sexual intercourse at this point and most likely won't for quite some time. Hoshi's aversion to intimacy borders on pure terror therefore she would not take part in such acts with a boyfriend or even a close guy friend much less a stranger. This also rules out pregnancy to which the ex-Akatsuki member mentally sighs in relief.

How could he ever think that his daughter could be pregnant? Hoshi detests being submissive therefore she wouldn't allow herself to be in a position that would give someone control over her in such a way. Unless…a male forced himself upon her. If someone were to sexually harass her…would that lead to her current behavior?

"Itachi?" Hana's voice questions. He barely hears her.

No. Hoshi did not strike him as a victim. But then again, how often do Uchiha reactions follow the textbook?

A gentle hand is placed on the Sharingan wielder's cheek and he finally focuses on his wife standing before him.

"You have that look on your face," she states to which his eyes flash with the question 'what look?' "While the rest of your features are as impassive as ever, your pupils are a fraction wider than normal and there's the faint crease of worry on your brow." As she speaks, Hana smoothes the nearly invisible wrinkle between the man's eyes. "Your shoulders and back are tight and your stress lines seem to have gotten worse in the span of five minutes."

Itachi turns away from the brunette to take a seat on the couch. Following him, Hana lays across the cushions with her head resting on the male's lap. She grins up playfully at him as he stares down at her with a contemplative expression playing on his features.

"Did you notice anything strange about Hoshi?"

The sudden question on Itachi's part surprises Hana. "Nani? **(3)**" the vet asks as she sits up. "Other than excitement because of Hideo and Akari, all I picked up was slight anxiety. I figured that Hoshi is simply uneasy about witnessing Hideo and Akari display affection. She never was very fond of such demonstrations after all."

"Neither are you," Itachi murmurs softly, yet challenging. "I recall you attempting to flee more than once on the occasions I'd openly act affectionate towards you."

A glare is directed at the male, but it's effect is greatly diminished by the faint blush staining Hana's cheeks. "That's because you would try to kiss me in front of my _mother_ and _brother_. Kaasan practically had a coronary when she saw us the first time. Besides, you're one to talk. How often do _you_ do anything to express your fondness of me?"

The prodigy is completely apathetic as he continues to watch Hana. She very well knows that he is not one for acting romantic. He simply won't perform large acts of love as his pink haired sister-in-law would for his brother. Instead, he and Sasuke do small things that outsiders would fail to notice. He shows that he cares in a different way.

When Hana speaks, he hangs on every word. He walks with the dogs when she is feeling ill. He will let her drag him around the market to shop for groceries. He will cook for her and clean up around the house without being asked (although he always had been a bit of a neat freak). When she falls asleep on the couch or at the table after a long day at work, he'll carry her to their bed so she can rest comfortably. He lets her tease him and call him 'Weasel'. He doesn't push her off when she lays on him. When she is in one of her moods, he'll leave the house so she can have some time alone. When that time of the month rolls around, he will buy her necessities if she starts to run low. He even goes as far as relinquishing control and letting her top during a few of their bedroom escapades despite his strong need to exert dominance. And that's naming just a handful.

Hana's expression softens at Itachi's impassiveness. "I hate that you can prove me wrong without uttering a single sound," she comments kindly as she leans against the man. The vet gives Itachi a wide smile. "You are indeed a wonderful husband despite what everyone else sees. They just don't understand you the way I do. I can read your gestures. You have been the perfect husband and _father. _I can tell that right now, you are worried about Hoshi, but understand that you have raised her well. She is strong just as we taught her to be. But…"

Hana bites her lip to silence herself. Obsidian orbs bore into her own chocolate ones urging her to continue.

"It's moments like this I fear that because of your desire to not turn into your father and favor your first born, you pay too much attention to your second. Hideo has found happiness yet your focus was on him for barely a second before it switched to Hoshi."

Hana is expecting her remark to sting her husband, but a smile flickers across Itachi's face instead of pain. Confusion is clear in her expression as the raven watches her.

"Hana, our children have different personalities. While Hoshi's most resembles yours, Hideo is more like myself. Therefore, I know that Hideo is one who prefers to avoid being the center of attention and tends to seek quiet praise. I don't play favorites. I simply treat them equally by accommodating their characters. Although, my concern for Hoshi may derive from my love for you. She reminds me of you in so many ways." There is a moment of stunned silence as a blushing Hana processes this information before Itachi speaks again with a smirk. "I will offer my congratulations to Hideo privately."

After that, the couple is quiet as they revel in one another's presense. The time is brief before Hana presses herself against the former S-class criminal and positioning her mouth beside his ear. Her warm breath tickles the prodigy's ear.

"Ita-kun," she murmurs softly. "It's almost noon and I haven't eaten yet."

Itachi inwardly sighs at his wife's actions. He is about to head for the kitchen to prepare something when he is struck by an idea.

Wrapping an arm around the vet's waist, he surprises her by pulling her onto his lap. It is now his turn to whisper in her ear.

"You know Hana, I'm always willing to satisfy your hunger. I could give you something right now to fill your stomach if you're willing to work for it," he states in a suggestive tone as he holds her closer.

He knows Hana understands his teasing when she twists experimentally in his lap. The movement is torturously slow and Itachi groans in approval. Sliding off of him, Hana turns and bends over so she is eye level with her husband.

"That's a tempting offer," she purrs. Her eyes flick downwards before she closes the gap between her and Itachi's lips. The kiss lingers and the chunin takes this opportunity to curl her fingers around the waistband of his pants. Giving Itachi's pants a gentle tug, she successfully persuades the Uchiha into rising from the couch. Their hips come together purposely as if they were two magnets although Hana intentionally forces the action to occur at a slow pace. Her grip on his pants is loose, but enough to keep Itachi's hips pressed against hers as she begins walking backwards into the kitchen.

The vet had been planning on stopping in the center of their kitchen, but Itachi continues to advance. He backs her up until the edge of the counter hits Hana's lower back. One of his hands comes up to hold her chin as he angles his head. He slowly dips his head before pausing an inch from Hana's lips. Losing her patience, the chunin reaches up to meet his mouth and eagerly tastes him. Her hold on him tightens as the need for him grows.

Meanwhile, Itachi's free hand reaches for the cupboard without Hana's notice. Fumbling blindly, the prodigy's fingers finally brush an object and close around it. Hana feels his lips turn upward in a smirk, but decides best to ignore it. When her lover pulls away, the woman holds back a whimper.

"Enjoy your breakfast," her husband murmurs before turning around and heading out of the kitchen.

Stunned by the raven haired ninja's sudden departure, it takes Hana a moment to become aware of the cup of instant ramen he slipped into her hand.

"You weasel!" Hana practically screams. She pulls her arm back in preparation to throw the ramen cup at the wall, but thinks better of it. Yeah, no good would come from throwing the thing at an inanimate object. It would be much better if she hit Itachi with it.

Gripping the styrofoam cup tightly, Hana storms into the living room only to find the dogs. Spotting her husband's sandals still in their place by the door, she swiftly deduces that he is still somewhere in the house. A quick sniff of the air tells her that the prodigy is located in their bedroom.

When she gets there, the scene before her is extremely welcoming. It seems that Itachi has decided he would like a nap and the pile of his clothes beside the bed alerts Hana that he plans to enjoy the feeling of the silky sheets against his skin. Since he is stretched out on his stomach, his arms are folded beneath the pillow he's using and the black sheet comes up just above the man's backside. This does not bother the brunette because having seen the Uchiha unclothed often enough to perfectly memorize his body, she can conjure up an image of the prodigy's firm ass at will.

Regardless of how distracting her husband's nudity is, Hana marches over to his side of the bed. He is unresponsive which causes her to glare and whip the instant ramen at his head. Upon getting struck, Itachi turns his head towards his wife and opens one eye to peek at her.

"That wasn't very kind," Itachi grumbles to which Hana shoves a finger in his face.

"What you did wasn't very kind either!" she retorts. "You said you would make breakfast."

Itachi blinks before responding calmly albeit tiredly. "Gomenasai koi, but I did not sleep well last night. I was hoping you would make do with ramen for today."

The vet's expression falls while her husband's eye drifts closed once more.

"S-so you're just going to sleep all day? Are you really that tired?" Concern is clear in the chunin's tone.

"Not all day," replies the former Akatsuki member. "Just a few hours."

Hana sifts through her mind to try to remember how to help someone with insomnia. She bites her bottom lip as her focus shifts to her lover's back and she ponders his reaction to contact at this moment. Figuring it won't hurt to at least attempt to help her husband relax, Hana takes a seat beside him on the bed. The muscles of Itachi's back twitch beneath her hands at the touch. Her hands are gentle, but firm as they massage the tense muscles.

Unfortunately, Hana's self control is wearing thin as her hands glide over her husband's body. She admits that he has the physique of a god that even she must take the time to admire when given the opportunity. The vet is almost lying on top of the man with her head resting on his lower back as one hand slips beneath him to explore his abs while the other gropes his built chest.

The sudden act results in Itachi releasing a grunt. Whether it is of surprise, pleasure, or something else, Hana is uncertain.

"Hana, are you attempting to seduce me?"

"Um…that depends. Is it working?"

With her ear pressed against Itachi's bare back, the vet can hear the rumbles of his amused chuckle. That along with the rhythmic beating of her lover's heart. "To an extent," he admits. "I really would like to rest though, Hana."

The brunette is quick to counter. "Well, I'm giving you a massage to help you relax."

"It's more like you're feeling me up."

"Hey, it's not my fault your body is so damn perfect!" Hana snaps in defense. Upon realizing that she actually said those thoughts out loud, the woman fumbles for words in a desperate need to recover. "Although, you are getting a little squishy in the tummy. And I think your hair is getting lighter. And--"

Her foolish babble is cut off by Itachi pushing Hana off his back and onto the bed beside him. His arms act as a cage as he holds her in place against his form.

"You know not a breath of that is true," he murmurs into her hair. The chunin can just visualize the prodigy pouting right now and must hold back her laughter. "If you have any doubts, you'll have to wait until after my short nap to examine me thoroughly. Perhaps in the shower."

"You're such a pervert!"

"I merely made a suggestion. You're the one envisioning it after my innuendo."

That results in Hana turning red and thinking her blush couldn't get worse. Then, Itachi nips her ear. Maybe her mind wouldn't get so carried away if he wasn't naked. She contemplates telling him this, but decides she'd be better off keeping her mouth shut. No, she can't give her husband satisfaction by informing him how much he affects her. She'll just enjoy it in silence.

* * *

**(1) Good morning Uncle**

**(2) Sorry**

**(3) What?**

**Yes, I guess you could say Hoshi is a bit of a daddy's girl. I'm not sure if the term "daddy's little princess" would apply to her because Itachi never doted on her in such a way, but he does love her very much. She reminds him of Hana.**

**Threw in some ItaHana for you all. More than intended but once I get on a roll, it's difficult to stop. Although, I personally would hate it if my parents acted as Itachi and Hana do. –shudders- What a horrible though. Hope you enjoyed the chapter.**


	18. Hello Anxiety, Table for One

**What's up you guys? I moved into my dorm and I'm still adjusting. Kinda tough being away from home because I'm so close with my family, but I guess I'll survive. I actually started crying a few times. Yup, as shocking at this may be for people who know me, I do have emotions. Hopefully, working on my fanfics during my free time will keep my mind busy so I don't think about it too much. Of course, I'll need to go to classes and spend some time with the friends I'm making. Maybe visit the rec center and work out. ^_^**

* * *

**Hello Anxiety, Table for One**

Hoshi's hand freezes just below the bandana around Kazuki's neck. Her fingers grip his red fur tightly as she averts her eyes. Still, the young woman can see Akari whispering into her older brother's ear at the edge of her vision and a wave of nausea overcomes her. Sure, Hoshi is thrilled that the young couple is finally together and happy, but that doesn't make feel her any more comfortable when she is a witness to their affection.

When there's a knock on the door, Hoshi immediately announces that she'll answer and hurries off with Kazuki faithfully trailing after her. The eighteen year old is vaguely aware of Hideo and Akari chuckling behind her and it finally registers that the two had been toying with her. Mentally cursing the ANBU and medic for finding pleasure in her discomfort, Hoshi promises to get payback.

The thought brightens her mood, but that happiness quickly fades when she sees her mother already welcoming the guests in. Her heart sinks into her stomach which doesn't help that queasy sensation from earlier. Kami must hate her because it appears that Kane didn't have to work tonight after all. She'd heard from Suzume that her twin was not available for the dinner and Hoshi had been relieved that the inevitable meeting after their kiss would be prolonged.

The jounin considers backing out of the hall before she is seen, but Kane has already noticed her and the plan to escape out the nearest window becomes futile. His cheeks have a slight red hue as he observes her which has Hoshi wondering how this dinner is going to work. Kazuki bumps her leg with his muzzle to reminder her to speak.

"Hello Kane," Hoshi greets with a forced smile. She can see Suzume mouth an apology over her twin's shoulder and gives a slight nod to show her acceptance before greeting her as well.

Hearing her son call for her, Hana leaves the three teens to themselves. Hoshi and Kane stare at each other in awkward silence while Suzume glances between the two. Kane shoots her a look that says he needs some time alone with the female Uchiha and the brunette is about to oblige when Hoshi gives her a desperate look of her own. The older kunoichi can't be left with the male and for once, Suzume sees actual hints of fear in Hoshi's expression.

"Kane, why don't you go check Hideo-san's arm?" Suzume suggests quietly.

Her brother is reluctant to leave, but listens anyway. Knowing the medic to be one who avoids confrontation, Hoshi doesn't expect him to argue. She is a tad surprised, however, when the dark haired male pauses beside her.

"I wish to speak with you privately after dinner," he murmurs. It is clear that he wants to keep what occurred between them secret. The way his voice cracks ever so faintly as he talks with her boosts Hoshi's confidence. "I trust you will honor my request."

The Uchiha catches the doctor off guard when she meets his eyes. Then again, he shouldn't be surprised. Hoshi never was the type to shy away from a situation despite how uncomfortable it is for her. No, she'll face it head on regardless of how much she would rather look the other way.

"Of course," she replies as if he has just insulted her.

After a brief pause, Kane continues to the living room and Hoshi's body visibly relaxes. It is at this time that Suzume attempts to satisfy her curiosity.

"What's going on between you and my brother?" the brunette asks hesitantly for fear of striking a nerve.

"We just had an unusual conversation about Hideo and Akari yesterday," Hoshi responds smoothly. It wasn't a complete lie. Their mouths had certainly been busy and the couple had been mentioned briefly. "Apparently, your brother finds a discussion concerning sex with me embarrassing."

The instant that sentence leaves her lips Hoshi is struck by how poorly worded it is. It sounds as if she and Kane had talked about being intimate with each other. Just a simple rearranging of a few words would have made everything sound so much better. Luckily, Suzume has failed to find anything wrong with what her friend has just said and easily accepts the explanation.

The two women enter the living room and Hoshi is relieved by the distance separating her brother and best friend. She can only bear small doses of love. The Uchiha maiden can't handle all the tender caresses and soft-spoken words.

The chatter is relatively easy even after Hayato and Sorami arrive. Everyone but Hayato is aware of Hideo and Akari's blossoming relationship. The combination of Akari's excitement and the genuine pleasure Hoshi receives by embarrassing her older brother made the news travel quite rapidly although the number of people who heard it was limited.

The table at which they are eating is a large square. Itachi and Hana are at one side with Hideo, Hoshi, and Akari adjacent to them. They are followed by Suzume and Kane. The final side has Sorami seated near Kane with Hayato to Itachi's left. The seating arrangement is perfect because it won't rouse suspicion within the brown haired ANBU member and everyone can take proper action should Hayato react badly. Something Itachi highly doubts, but decides to prepare for just to be on the safe side. With Hoshi placed between Hideo and Akari, it doesn't appear strange that the two are sitting on the same side. The only issue is that Hoshi can see the pair fidgeting beneath the table with the desire to hold one another's hand in a reassuring gesture. Although this fact does nothing to please the female, she has to accept it nonetheless.

So far, the dinner conversation is focused on the families. How are Genma and Shizune? What are their twins doing? Have the Uchiha brothers done any bonding lately? Has Kiba acquired any canines recently? Is Sakura spending too much time working at the hospital? Knowing the direction the discussion needs to turn, Hana attempts to ease into the topic of relationships. Turning to Suzume, the vet proceeds to question if she is still seeing an examiner for the chunnin exams. The faint hue painting the seventeen year old's face gives the answer before the young woman even opens her mouth.

"H-hai. I'm very pleased with what Eiichi and I currently have. He often comes by the academy so we can have lunch together."

"I bet the students tease you for it," Akari remarks with a giggle.

Suzume avoids meeting anyone's eye as she responds. "Actually, Eiichi-kun is really good with the children. They enjoy it when he stops by too."

"He sounds wonderful, Suzume. You should bring him by so we can meet him," Sorami states with an encouraging smile. Her daughter nods shyly in agreement.

"What about you, Kane-kun?" Hana asks, shifting the attention to the Tsuki's middle child. "Anyone catch your eye?"

Itachi doesn't fail to notice his daughter's stiff posture as she continues to stare down at her food rather intently. Yet, it is clear to the eldest Uchiha that Hoshi is listening closely to Kane's every word despite her effort to appear disinterested. The aura she gives off is surprisingly indifferent and the former Akatsuki member wonders how the young woman can send various signals at once…and why is he the only one noticing them?

"Uh…well," Kane tries to begin. He is tripping over his words and his eyes jump from person to person due to his nerves. Itachi finds it quite interesting that those dark blue eyes never land on Hoshi. "I had gone on a couple dates recently with a woman, but we didn't really click. To be honest, no one I've dated has really peaked my interest enough for me to consider them becoming something more. While there may be a physical attraction, I find them to be just a pretty face."

Hana frowns at this and briefly glances at Sorami to find the woman's expression rather downcast. "I'm sorry to hear that it hasn't worked out so far, Kane-kun. Don't worry though. You're still so young. There's plenty of time yet."

"Hai. It's always possible that what I'm looking for is right in front of me and a sudden event will make me realize it," Kane states in slight daze. At this, Hoshi finally lifts her eyes to focus on the eighteen year old's form. Her brow knits together as she mentally questions if the young doctor is dropping hints.

"Perhaps fewer hours at the hospital would help," the young male continues. "Constantly focusing on patients won't allow me to open my eyes to options I'm failing to see. Then again, I want whoever I end up with to respect the fact that my work is important and I need to be there. After all, emergency cases such as Hyuuga Joji come up and the hospital needs an experienced medic present."

Hearing this, Hayato is quick to make a remark. "The Hyuuga is in the hospital?"

Kane nods. "He received quite the beating yesterday. It'll probably take several weeks of recovery before he'll be placed back on active duty."

"That's horrible. Joji is such a good ninja too. Was it a mission?" Sorami questions her son.

"No," Hideo replies instead. "He had said some rather offensive things and unfortunately, I couldn't keep myself in check. Joji-san has been insulting my family for years as he did yesterday. He had dragged Akari-chan into our longstanding quarrel as well. He'd been planning to date Akari-chan with wrong intentions. I couldn't tolerate it any longer. Still, that doesn't justify what I have done and I have already expressed my sympathy to the Hyuuga. I can honestly say I regret putting Joji in that condition."

There is a brief silence and the atmosphere is a tense one. Then, Hayato's lips turn slightly upwards.

"I suppose I should thank you, Hideo, for looking out for my daughter." This remark is quickly followed by a joke. "With you protecting Akari, I don't need to concern myself with her suitors. You keep them at bay and I have not a single worry!"

Hana lifts a brow as she studies the brunette. He couldn't possibly be that clueless. "And why do you think that is?"

"Well, the two have been together almost their entire lives. They're such close friends. Nearly family. Hideo and Akari are like siblings."

Itachi inwardly sighs at his best friend's obliviousness. The poor fellow is so blind to the situation.

"Actually Hayato-san," Hideo begins. "I have come to realize something about my bond with Akari and although the talk I had with you was very reassuring, it took me a while to gather enough courage to share my feelings with her. We both desired something more than a friendship so we've decided to pursue a life together. Neither of us would be able to bear the pain of watching the other with someone else."

There is tension among the families as they await Hayato's reaction to the reveal. They do not expect him to suddenly start laughing.

"Oh wow! That was a good one," the Tsuki manages to say between laughs. "You had me for a second. Everyone was so serious."

When no one else starts joining in his laughter and Akari rises from her seat, Hayato's amusement gradually dies. He watches his daughter move to between the two Uchiha siblings and force Hideo to turn around. The young man's dark eyes show confusion before the (blushing) brunette leans down to connect their mouths.

Hayato's expression is one of awe as his daughter pulls away from her lover. Even Kane's eyes are wide as his eyes rapidly flick between his father and sister. Hoshi awkwardly shifts into Akari's original spot so her friend can take her place beside Hideo.

A nudge from his wife brings Hayato back to reality and he clears his throat. "Well then…I wish you two the best." Although the words are difficult for the man to get out, he wears a sincere smile. "If we hadn't had that conversation the other day, I would be questioning how serious you are about my daughter Hideo. You were being honest with me though and I know how strongly you care about Akari. I guess that's why I truly hope things go well for the both of you and that you are happy together."

"Arigato Tousan," Akari responds softly.

Not wanting a prolonged silence, Kane speaks and attempts to shift the focus away from the new couple. "So…Hoshi. What have you been up to lately?"

"Yes Hoshi. Anything new going on?" Sorami asks.

The outright question about her relationship status remains unspoken and Itachi notices that the only one who seems genuinely interested in his daughter's response is the one who first addressed her. The others already know the answer (as should Kane), but they figure it would be impolite not to at least check.

"The Rokudaime called me into his office this morning," Hoshi replies dryly, making it very clear that she is not involved with anyone and is rapidly growing tired of the discussion of relationships. "He's considering me for a position as the sensei of a genin squad."

"Really?" Hana asks earning a nod in response. "That's wonderful, Hoshi. Do you plan on accepting the position?"

Upon observing Hoshi's hesitance, Itachi makes an effort to address his daughter on the subject. Someone else beats him to it though.

"I think you'd be a great sensei," Kane states confidently. "You may not see it now, but you really are right for the task. You are a natural leader and an incredibly skilled kunoichi. Rokudaime wouldn't consider appointing you if you weren't suited for the job. It's a great opportunity for you. It would not only be beneficial for the genin who are on your team, but it would also teach you some things about yourself and others."

"I have some time to think about it," Hoshi murmurs. "The Hokage believes it would be best to wait a few years before I assume the role so I have until then to make my decision. The way he sees it, I'm still young and it's too early for me to take such a position. I would basically be helping to raise these kids and I'd be acting as their guide in their journey to becoming powerful ninja. That isn't a responsibility I'm ready for right now."

"It's an important decision and you have a right to ponder what option would be best for you to take," Itachi is finally able to say. "You would be influencing three young minds and their lives would be in your hands if you were to go on missions beyond the village walls."

Hoshi nods as her eyes gaze without focus at the table and the remainder of dinner goes by rather quickly. After everything has been cleared away, the group settles in the living room. Things continue on as normal for the most part. All are adjusting quite well to new interaction between Hideo and Akari.

But Hoshi is still acting strange in Itachi's eyes. His usually animated daughter is much more subdued than her brother on a normal basis and the fact that she insists on playing her problems off as nothing is troubling the Uchiha prodigy. It's clearly affecting her in a way that should be obvious to all who truly know her…of course, the others are too preoccupied with Hideo and Akari's news to pay much attention. Although the conversation has shifted away from the new couple, the minds of both families are still busy on the subject whether it be reading the body language of the two or pretending they see nothing at all. Enough effort is being put into those tasks to make them blind to Hoshi's strange behavior.

For this, Itachi is disappointed. He would've thought a group of skilled ninja would be able to read such poorly hidden signals. Then again, his concern for his daughter's wellbeing may be heightening his awareness. And who's to say that the others are ignorant. Perhaps they feel it best to let Hoshi work things out on her own if she doesn't wish to tell them what's wrong.

Something bumps into his knee and Itachi's gaze moves to Hana beside him. Their eyes lock for a moment before Hana lifts an eyebrow questioningly. With a subtle shake of the head, the male turns to Hayato and inserts his opinion which successfully satisfies both his friend and wife.

Inwardly sighing, Itachi continues to listen to the others speak. His onyx eyes lazily scan each face, but pause when they discover Kane staring vacantly at nothing. The seventeen year old's expression is rather pensive and Itachi easily deduces that the boy has unintentionally become absorbed in his own thoughts…whatever they may be. It certainly makes sense for Kane to not be paying full attention to the discussion. It's hardly of any interest to a seventeen year-old boy.

Hoshi unexpectedly rises from her place on the floor causing attentions to briefly drift to her. The jounin stretches and the action is innocent enough for conversation to pick up again. This results in everyone, but Itachi missing the way Kane's eyes linger on the exposed bit of flesh caused by Hoshi's movement. Sharingan eyes narrow dangerously as Itachi's protective side shows.

Covering up a yawn, Hoshi nudges Kazuki with her foot. The bags under her eyes seem to have grown darker throughout the day and her eyelids feel heavy due to her exhaustion. Bidding them all a quiet good-bye, the female Uchiha exits the house.

Despite being eager to return home and collapse on her welcoming bed, Hoshi's pace is slow and she takes the long way home. After some time, she finally reaches her destination and just as she unlocks the door, she senses Kane's chakra rapidly approaching her.

Swinging the door open, she allows Kazuki to enter as she turns to wait for the medic. Her junior quickly comes into view. As he draws near, he slows from his run and the dark haired male is surprised to find Hoshi awaiting his arrival.

"I promised I would meet with you," she states upon observing his expression.

Leading the young man into her home, the Uchiha asks if he would like any tea. Not waiting for a reply, Hoshi begins listing the different options as she enters her kitchen. Kane's silence has Hoshi wondering if he'd even followed her inside, but the idea is immediately dismissed because she can sense his chakra at the kitchen entrance.

"I've got pocky too if you'd rather have that," she offers as she reaches up to the cupboard. A hand lands on the cupboard, effectively ceasing her actions.

"You have some explaining to do," Kane murmurs as the eighteen year-old peers over her shoulder to read his face. The turmoil swirling within his deep blue eyes makes Hoshi sigh and awkwardly twist around. The minimal amount of space Kane has allowed between himself and the counter has Hoshi feeling a bit trapped.

Inwardly shaking off the sensation, Hoshi straightens to her full height so she is nearly nose to nose with the young male. Her expression is serious as is her posture with arms crossed over her chest.

"Ask your questions and I'll give you answers."

"Why did you kiss me?" Kane asks bluntly. For some reason, the thought crosses Hoshi's mind that this is most likely similar to the conversation between her brother and Akari before the two got together.

"You were going to interfere with our siblings finally being happy. I couldn't let you do that. Kissing you was the only option I could think of at the time. I was hoping it would distract you enough to make you forget about whatever our siblings were doing," Hoshi responds with an effortless shrug. Something suddenly clicks in her mind, however, and her brow furrows in wonder. "You know, you were rather eager to return the kiss. You even made a move to prevent me from pulling away. I heard you groan! Why don't you give me an explanation?"

Those blue eyes widen and she can see his mind whirling for answers. He takes a step back, but she quickly fists his shirt and pulls him to her again. Forget breathing room. Hoshi wants answers.

"It's called hormones, Hoshi." The Uchiha finds herself becoming angry at his belittling tone and eye rolling. "I'm a teenage male. Do you really expect me to be unresponsive when a beautiful woman throws herself at me?"

Now, both of Hoshi's hands are clutching Kane's shirt and her glare is completed by the ruby glint of the sharingan. Her pupils are narrowed dangerously and she's so close that the dark haired young man can see the sharingan's tomoe.

"Don't make me sound like some cheap slut!"

"Okay, that was poor wording on my part," Kane states quickly in defenses. The apology does little to calm the angered female and Kane searches his brain for something to pacify her. "You aren't that kind of person. You're an intelligent, modest albeit proud, loyal, and brave woman. I don't want this to become about looks, but you're envied by nearly every female in Konoha and even other countries. Some women would probably kill for your looks. You have a wonderful laugh and when you do smile, it's contagious. To be honest, I don't fully understand why you're single. From what I've heard, you fit the mold of the Uchiha clan almost perfectly. The only real difference is that you aren't serious one hundred percent of the time. You know how to relax and enjoy life. I believe that makes you better than the original Uchiha."

The red has left Hoshi's eyes only to appear across her cheeks due to the flattery. Her expression is one of genuine shock as her hands release their hold on Kane's clothing. Something akin to fear shows in Hoshi's dark pools and Kane begins to inwardly panic as he questions what he'd done wrong.

"Are you saying that you find me attractive?"

"Well…I'd be lying if I said no. Quite frankly, there would be something wrong with me if I didn't find you attractive. However," the seventeen year old quickly adds. "Our feelings for each other are the same. We both are merely seeking friendship from one another."

The tension in Hoshi's body visibly diminishes at this and she offers a soft smile. "Glad we're on the same page."

"There's still one thing that's troubling me though Hoshi," Kane murmurs reluctantly. "If all we want is to be close friends…why did kissing you feel so natural?"

"Perhaps it's just a phase," Hoshi replies after thinking for a moment. "Romanic interest isn't definite. If it persists, maybe we can experiment on the subject of us. It wouldn't hurt to test that option. If we were to try and fail, we'd both understand and our friendship wouldn't be hurt."

"That sounds like a good plan," Kane answers with a smile. "Now, I want to go back to your job offer. I really don't see why you're so hesitant about accepting the position."

As he speaks, Kane turns away from Hoshi and heads into the living room with her following close behind. He stretches himself out on one side of the couch leaving the Uchiha female to take a seat near his feet. Although she would normally lie beside him, she figures it would be too early to return to their normal behavior so soon after the kiss. It's strange though that despite Kane's shyness when it comes to relationships with women, he'd always been unusually comfortable around the female Uchiha regardless of her own uncertainty. And in the end, she had to give in because it's in her nature to put family before herself and each of the Tsuki are like family to her.

"I just don't want to have the lives of three rookies in my hands. My abilities shouldn't be limited to D-rank missions. I've gone through all of that already."

"That may be true, but having genin placed in your care would also provide you with some excitement in your life," Kane argues. "You'd be helping three new ninja hone their skills and develop jutsu. It may even give you inspiration for creating your own brand new techniques."

"And how can you be so sure that I'd do a good job training these kids?"

The black haired male reaches out to pet Kazuki's head as the dog lies on the floor before the couch.

"You're smart, Hoshi. On numerous occasions, you aided Akari as you trained during the academy days. You continued to do that for her and your other teammate when you all became genin yourselves. I even remember you assisting me a couple times and I found you to be a great teacher." Kane pauses as an idea enters his mind. "It might actually be a good idea for you to visit the academy a few times over the next few months. It'll help give you an idea of whether or not this job is right for you. Get a feel for some of these kids so you understand what you would be in for. Ask some current, or even former, team leaders as well. That way, you can make an informed decision."

Hoshi sighs as Kazuki shifts so his head can rest on her lap in a comforting gesture. Rubbing the canine's velvet-like ears, she voices a few comments. "That's not a bad proposal. I still sort of wonder what Hokage-sama was thinking when he decided I should be considered for the job."

"Well," Kane begins. Hoshi is surprised when arms wrap around her form and she is suddenly seated on the young man's lap. His mouth is positioned by her ear as if he were going to tell her a secret. "The way I see it, the world is full of sharks and who better to prepare these kids than someone who knows all their tricks."

The Uchiha's body gradually relaxes in the medic's embrace and the two lie down on the couch together. It seems Kane wants to just plow through the awkwardness to return to normal as soon as possible. Although their bond had always been a little strange in Hoshi's mind, it appears that she is slowly adjusting to physical contact with the Tsuki boy after all these years. He is breaking down her walls though the pace can be compared to a snail's. He is not yet as close to her as Akari, but Hoshi senses the potential. The two have been friends since they were babies and a certain level of comfort exists. And the fact that he is holding her in such a way may be beneficial Hoshi. It could help her get over her slight anxiety around the opposite sex and her dislike of affection or contact in general. That fear never prevented Kane from being affectionate with her in a friendly way. Her friendship with Akari was never able to offer assistance in conquering these fears, but her best friend has Hideo now. The two will certainly be spending a lot of time together which means Hoshi will probably be seeing her best friend a little less often. With things the way they are now, this would most likely end up with Hoshi spending more time with Kane because he is the only one her age that understand her nearly as much as Akari. She'll end up growing even closer to Kane than she is at the moment and expanding her social life. Or at least, help her develop better social skills. And for some reason or another, this brings a smile to Hoshi's face.

* * *

**Okay…that didn't turn out quite the way I wanted it too. I didn't focus on Hideo/Akari or Itachi/Hana as much as I'd originally planned. I'm really sorry about that. I think that's because I'm currently so drawn to Hoshi's character. She's becoming more developed in my mind and now I can't wait until I write my fanfic revolving around her to give her some attention. So she did slip into this chapter and played a greater role than she was supposed to. I guess I'm sort of laying the ground work for her story.**

**Anywho! I would like to make it clear (because I don't think I did that very well in the chapter considering I didn't really show Kane's inner thoughts) that nothing romantical (yay made up words!) or "intimate" is going on between Hoshi and Kane…other than the kiss. They don't secretly love each other. Kane just finds himself at ease in Hoshi's presence. In a way, she's the person he is closest to because he has sort of inherited Hayato's relationship issues. And Hoshi allows him to be a little clingy because despite being an Uchiha, she is human and deep down, she craves love and affection. Kane is just the only one who is close enough to her that will give her what she needs. Her protective front is gradually letting Kane in more so she no longer cringes away from the contact. And although Kane thinks Hoshi is beautiful and Hoshi can't complain about Kane's looks, there is not sexual attraction….I can't really explain more than that. I already feel like I've ruined something. Odd.**

**I hope that clears some things up if anyone was confused. If not, feel free to send me a message with whatever questions you may have. I'll do my best to give you answers. They could be about Hoshi and Kane or anything else. Suggestions/reviews are always good to because it helps me know what my readers like or don't like. I'm not picky. ^_^**


	19. Chapter 19

**Okay, I know it's kinda late to be changing Itachi's story, but I like the actual version much better than the one I made up. Basically, he was following orders to kill the clan. However, he still accidentally gained the Mangekyou by killing Shisui because of the stress his father was putting on him. The Mangekyou manipulated him at times but he remained in control and kept tabs on Akatsuki. The fight between Sasuke and Itachi didn't happen because Sasuke was dragged back to the village before it could happen. So Itachi's trial in my story was a little different. People still didn't really trust him however because they doubted the truth. Itachi wasn't happy about betraying his clan and being seen as a traitor to the village so he keeps his Akatsuki ring as a reminder and punishment for his actions…regardless of the fact that he had no choice.**

* * *

**Chapter 19**

Hideo was not in a good mood. The giggles coming from Kanae are hardly helping him either. Even Norio is snickering at him. He is fully aware of the stares he's receiving and the whispering among the residents of Konoha going on behind him. He'd been conscious of them ever since he left the compound. And the twenty year old knows just who to blame for this current situation.

"Akari." The Uchiha addresses the innocent looking young woman calmly.

"Oh. You're the one who did this to him?" Kanae manages to ask despite her wide grin as she gestures to the collar around the annoyed man's neck.

The Tsuki female nods with a sheepish smile.

"That's not all she did," the dark haired man growls. "She stole all my pants so I was forced to wear this pair."

With that said, Hideo turns around for them to see the words "Property of Tsuki Akari" stitched across his rear. The result is Kanae erupting in a fit of hysterical laughter and Hideo's eye twitching.

"That has got to be the best revenge you've ever gotten, Akari," Norio states. "Hideo always beats you in the little game you two play."

"Oh, this wasn't part of our game," the brunette replies. "I've just grown tired of the way fangirls ogle Hideo-kun. I decided to fix that problem by letting everyone know that he belongs to me."

Now, Hideo's old teammates have stopped laughing and blink in confusion. Then, something in Norio's mind clicks and the male snorts.

"Nice try. You two are trying to rope us into your game by pretending to be together," the purple haired man concludes. Norio then turns to his lover to explain what he believes is going on. "They've grown bored of seeking revenge on each other for their tricks so now they plan to mess with our heads. Hideo and Akari want to convince us that they've become an item so we freak out."

Kanae takes a moment to ponder this before determining that it's a reasonable explanation to her former teammate and Akari's behaviors.

"You hear that, Akari-chan?" Hideo asks smoothly. "They don't believe us. Perhaps we need to prove their accusations wrong and put an end to any doubts."

His sultry tone immediately has the brunette's heart pounding. Her cheeks are flushed as Hideo lightly holds her chin and her eyes become half-lidded.

This was it. The moment they finally go public. But that thought wasn't even crossing the couple's minds as they leaned in. Everything just seemed to slip away as their lips met. The world around them ceased to exist as they share a kiss.

Tingles travel down Akari's spine as Hideo's lips slowly move against her own. The Uchiha had originally been stiff with tension due to his awareness of the many eyes watching them, but as his lover's presence overwhelmed him, he quickly became at ease. Now, the medic can sense the love Hideo has for her in the tenderness of his actions. She feels like she's in a dream, but she hardly cares. She knows this is reality because her dreams are never this good.

When Hideo draws back, Akari's eyes open and lock with his obsidian pools. The warmth in his eyes leaves her breathless. She almost feels guilty when she clips a leash to the collar around the raven's neck and that warmth disappears behind Hideo's walls once more. Oddly enough, the emotion is replaced by amusement and a brief smile which just serves to increase Norio and Kanae's astonishment.

"No way," Norio utters in disbelief which the couple ignores.

"If you were anyone else," Hideo states as he brushes his lips against Akari's forehead. "There's no way you would get away with half the stuff you do to me."

With a sigh, Hideo straightens to allow the medic to rise from her seat. They bid their friends good-bye and Akari gives a gentle tug on the leash to guide the man attached to the end. Hands in his pockets, the sharingan wielder finds his place at Akari's side and the two venture through the village.

"I hope you realize that you will be punished for this," the Uchiha mutters just loud enough for the woman to hear. The people of Konoha are fascinated by the sight before them and Hideo can only pray that his lover will show him some mercy. "This is just cruel."

"Perhaps," Akari replies nonchalantly. "But it's the only way I figured the point would get across that you are mine. I know public displays of affection make you uncomfortable especially after keeping your emotions under lock and key for so long. If you have another idea though, feel free to share it Hideo-kun."

Hearing the honorific that flows easily from her lips has Hideo realizing just how little control he really has over his brown-haired lover. That one term of endearment means so much to him. It makes him realize that the medic has a great deal of control over him. One look from those bright blue eyes could have him kneeling before her in an instant…and he couldn't care less.

Akari is caught off guard when a pair of arms wrap around her form and she's pulled tightly into Hideo's body.

"H-Hideo-kun?"

"Aishiteru Akari-koi," the ANBU states softly as he brushes his nose against her jaw. He can feel the heat of her resulting blush radiating from her cheek and he knows he has just as powerful an effect on her as she does him. "Why don't we go up to Hokage Mountain? Enjoy the view and spend some time together in peace until your shift at the hospital. Maybe we could even have lunch up there."

"Why do I get the feeling that my only option is to say yes?"

Hideo chuckles at the remark and a puff of smoke appears before them only to reveal Toshio carrying a bundle between his teeth.

"Well, I hope you won't say 'no' considering I packed us bentos," the raven replies leading Akari to understand that's what is wrapped in the cloth Toshi is holding.

Touched by the gesture, the brunette beams at her boyfriend and accepts the request for a date. There's a wicked glint in the Uchiha's eye before he lifts the young woman over his shoulder and proceeds to walk in the direction of the Uchiha compound in order to get a change of clothes from a family member. The blue canine quickly takes his place walking beside his partner.

"You know…normally, I would object to being in such a situation, but I find the view to be quite pleasant," the medic remarks as Hideo holds her steady on his shoulder. "You have a very nice ass."

The only response Hideo has is to roll his eyes.

* * *

"My father is considering retiring from the ANBU."

The sudden statement has Akari pausing mid-chew as she directs her gaze to the twenty year-old. The raven is staring out over the village with a contemplative expression playing on his face. The calm aura surrounding the Uchiha is welcoming and the brunette is pleased that her boyfriend's foul mood from earlier has completely disappeared.

"Did he say why?" Akari asks quietly, reluctant to disturb the peace.

"No. He won't explain his decision until he's made it," Hideo answers. "I have my own ideas though. My father has served in the ANBU since before I was born, over twenty years. It isn't like his skills are deteriorating so he has no choice but to give it up before it costs him his life. I think it's more that my father has grown tired of the missions. He isn't a cruel man…he would prefer to avoid conflict. He doesn't enjoy taking another's life. He tolerates it because it is his duty as a ninja and he is loyal to Konoha. But as a member of the ANBU, a majority of the missions involve assassination in some way. It's a dangerous life…and I think my father would like to spend more time with my mother and ease her mind despite how much confidence she has in him."

The young woman studies her lover as the silence stretches on. This isn't just about the prodigy of the Uchiha clan. She realizes that his father's current thoughts have Hideo questioning his own involvement in the ANBU.

"What will he do if he chooses to retire from ANBU?"

The Sharingan user shrugs. "Interrogation, code breaking, sensei, advisor. There are a number of options."

"There's no reason for you to doubt what you are doing, Hideo-kun," Akari states gently. "You're strong and intelligent. You are able to adapt and strategize. The combination of all those things allows you to execute the missions you receive."

"I know that," he responds tiredly. "It's just that this makes me wonder if the smart thing to do would be to leave the ANBU. Would it be better if I were to quit as well? We only just got together. I don't want you to worry about me not coming back."

A small hand grasps Hideo's larger one and squeezes it in reassurance. "I was worried before we became a couple, but also I know you're an incredible ninja. You are naturally gifted as an Uchiha and the Sharingan provides additional leverage should you ever need it. That's why I'm confident you'll come home alive."

It is quiet for a while until the medic scoots closer to the male so that their sides are pressed against one another.

"But if your head isn't in your job, you might as well retire. It won't end well if you aren't completely focused."

She can practically hear him smirking arrogantly. "No need. I was just wondering what your thoughts were. I like the challenge each mission brings with it. They aren't as mundane as the lower rank missions."

"You don't have to follow in your father's footsteps you know," Akari murmurs. "Your life does not need to be a copy of his. You are whoever you choose to be."

"If I was living the same life as my father, my actions would have been quite different and our current situation would change drastically," the young man replies bitterly.

The two fall quiet as Akari brushes her fingers over the back of Hideo's hand in a comforting gesture. The raven releases a sigh.

"I suppose I am influenced by my father's actions more than what is normal," the sharingan user remarks. "I can't help it though. The man is my hero. He is everything I ever hoped to become. He's also been my guide, preventing me from making the same mistakes he did."

"I know what you mean," the medic admits quietly. Her tone has Hideo peer in her direction. "I try so hard to advance my medical jutsu, but I just can't seem to get it like my brother. And I have yet to perfect the summoning jutsu. I so badly wish that I could do what my family members do."

"I think that's the problem though."

Hideo's sudden revelation makes Akari's head snap in his direction. Their eyes lock as she eagerly awaits his explanation.

"We try desperately to be like our family or friends because it's working so well for them. But we aren't them. Our calling is different and we won't find ourselves if we constantly look to others. In the end, my path is my own that I must determine for myself and the same goes for you. They may intertwine or be similar to the paths of others, but each is unique."

Akari smiles at her lover as his words become stored in her memory. "So what do you suggest we do?"

Hideo rises and stretches his muscles which became a little stiff after sitting so long. "Perhaps we need to take the time to really think about what is right for us. Spend some time alone with our thoughts. Not surround ourselves with our family all the time so we can get a better idea of who we are and not what others try to make us."

"If the solution is temporary solitude, does that mean you won't be coming over for dinner tomorrow?" Akari asks with a knowing grin.

"Hmph." The disgruntled noise that escapes Hideo serves to increase the young medic's smirk. "You are perfectly aware of what I meant. We don't need to completely shut the world out. I will be joining you for dinner tomorrow and nothing will prevent that."

The doctor gives a brief giggle in amusement before turning her gaze toward the village below. There is silence for a few moments until Akari senses Hideo watching her and glances over her shoulder at him. The ninja's eyes quickly shift to avoid meeting hers and the embarrassment of being caught staring appears as a faint tinge upon the Uchiha's cheeks. This behavior is something Akari can't help but find adorable.

The raven peeks at her from the corner of his eyes only to find the medic smiling knowingly up at him. His obsidian orbs flick upward to scan the sky before determining that it's about time for Akari to be getting to the hospital. The younger of the two is momentarily stunned to find a hand before her face and she glances up in confusion at her lover.

"I'll accompany you to work," Hideo explains when he doesn't feel her grasping his hand.

Nodding, Akari takes the hand that is still waiting in front of her and Hideo helps pull her up. Hands intertwined, the two make their way down the mountain, to the village below.

* * *

**Yeah, I kinda forgot where I was planning to go with this fanfic so as of right now, this one is done. I've honestly been sitting on this chapter for months trying to come up with things to add, but I've come up with nothing useful. I mean I legit couldn't even come up with a decent title for this chapter! If I can think of stuff to add, then I will. So I suppose this story is more on a hiatus. It's possible that it ends here, but then again, there's still places I can go with this fanfic. I just don't know where at the moment.**

**Plus, my mind is very strange in the fact that when an idea comes along, it stays on it and doesn't let me get back to my original work. Right now, my brain really wants me to get to work on Hoshi's story before I lose my motivation. And I also have new poll up so please vote. It'll hopefully help me get the new story written faster.**

**I dunno. Let me know what you think in a review or PM. They really make my day and make me want to write. Your opinion matters to me and I take what the readers want into account so let me know.**


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